Time
by Musicunderground
Summary: You-Know-Who has taken over the Ministry. And the Wizarding World. Muggle-borns are no longer safe. And neither are those labelled as Blood Traitors. Mia's time might just be running out. In fact, everyone's might be… George/OC
1. Blood and Firewhiskey

**H-el-lo!**

**I am proud to present the sequel to Real. Its name? Time. And, as you have guessed, it's set during Deathly Hallows. So, shall we continue?**

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything, except Mia- who belongs to me**

Chapter 1: Blood and Firewhiskey

"And, if all goes well, we'll all meet back here tonight," Mad-Eye Moody said gruffly, leaning on his staff. He looked around at all of them, standing in the small living room of the Burrow. Moody was in the centre, with Kingsley Shacklebolt a few feet away. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were standing solemnly by the sofa. Bill stood with his arm around Fleur Delacour, his soon-to-be-wife. Ginny stood alone, her eyes staring at nothing in particular, but listening to every single word. Hagrid was hunched by the kitchen door, his beard obscuring the slight frown. Molly and Arthur Weasley stood together, with Molly looking around at all of her children. Tonks was leaning against the arm of the sofa, twirling her new wedding ring around and around on her finger, while Remus Lupin stood with his hand on her shoulder. Mundungus Fletcher was skulking in a shadowy corner. George Weasley stood with his arms wrapped around Mia Homing- who was in front of him- with his twin, Fred, next to them.

"We leave in five minutes," Moody said, after a minute of silence. Today was the day they were going to get Harry Potter from the Dursley's- though Mia, Ginny and Molly were staying behind. There was a slight murmuring as people spoke to each other before leaving. Fred eyed Mia and George for a second. She was staring down at the floor, her mousy brown hair hanging around her face, while George just stood with his arms interlocked tightly around her.

"I think I'll, um, go and say bye to Ginny," Fred muttered, before making his way across the room. Sighing, Mia turned around slowly, and ran her hands up George's arms until they came to rest on his shoulders. She locked eyes with him sadly and he smiled at her.

"We'll be fine," he told her. She licked her lips and nodded, "'Sides," he carried on, "if anything does happen, we've got you're amazing Healing skills to help us out." she quirked a small smile and looked to the table in one of the corners. For the past month she'd been making every kind of Healing potion she could think of. Just in case. She was the Order of the Phoenix's own Healer.

"I'm hoping we won't need them," she said quietly. George brought a hand up to cup her cheek.

"We won't," he confirmed. She shook her head slowly.

"Now you're just tempting fate," she told him. A slightly confused look slid over his face.

"I'm doing what now?" Mia let a short laugh escape her.

"Its just a Muggle expression." George rolled his eyes, before kissing her forehead softly. Her eyelids fluttered for a second as he pulled back.

"We'll be fine," he told her again. She didn't answer him. Like she said- tempting fate.

They felt a pair of eyes on them, and looked up to see Fred leaning against the table, his arms crossed. Mia detached herself from George and walked over to him, hugging him tightly. Over his shoulder, she could see Molly and Arthur saying goodbye, and Ginny talking to Bill. They'd planned so much, but it was still very possible something could go wrong. When Mia pulled back, she looked Fred in the eye.

"Don't do anything stupid," she told him. He smirked a bit.

"I won't."

"And… don't annoy Moody."

"I won't."

"And be careful."

"You know what?" Fred said, "I'll do all of that as long as you promise not t turn into my mother." Mia smiled and raised her eyebrows.

"Deal," she said, as George walked over to them.

"Right!" Moody barked, "we need to leave." George took Mia's hand as everyone made their way outside, where a large black motorbike, and- even though she couldn't see them, she knew they were there- two Thestrals stood. Half of the people going grabbed a broom as they left the house.

Hagrid sat on the bike as Hermione, Kingsley, Fleur and Bill climbed onto the Thestrals. George squeezed Mia's hand before he lined up and mounted his broom, and Fred passed his hand over her shoulder briefly.

"Ready?" Moody called from a broom in the middle of the line, "three," he took hold of his broom handle with one hand, "two," and grasped Mundungus' arm with the other, to make sure he actually left, "one," everyone tensed, "now!" the two Thestrals soared into the sky, Hagrid's motorbike roared and followed them, and everyone on a broom kicked off. Mia swore she saw one of the twins do a loop-de-loop, and she smiled briefly.

They weren't sure how long they stood there, but Ginny was the first to turn and walk back to the house. Mia followed a minute afterwards, and sat down on a coffee table in a corner of the room, next to her box of potions. Molly came in about ten minutes after Mia, and her eyes went straight to the clock that had the family's names on the hands and pointed to where they were at the time. Mia and Ginny followed her gaze. Every hand was on 'Mortal Peril', just like they had been since the previous year.

Time passed slowly. Ginny was the only one wearing a watch, and she announced the time every half hour. But that was the only time anyone spoke. Ginny sat on the sofa, with her legs crossed and a book in her lap. Not that she was reading it- she stared out of the window, at the sky. Molly took to wiping down the already shining counters and tables for a while, but abandoned the cloth on one of the smaller coffee tables when she thought she heard something outside. It turned out to be two gnomes fighting. Mia concentrated on her feet kicking forward and backward.

Suddenly, Ginny lurched off the sofa, and flew across to the back door. Looking out of the window, Mia caught a glimpse of a blue light spinning to the ground. Molly had seen it to, and together, they ran out into the garden. They saw Ginny crouching a few feet away, holding something. "They missed it," she said as the two other women approached. "Ron and Tonks… they missed it." Molly's hand flew to her mouth and Mia licked her lips.

"Maybe…" she said, "maybe it just took a little longer then we thought for them to get there." Molly nodded shakily.

"Yes," she said, lowering her hand, "yes that must be it." Ginny dropped the rusty oil can back on the ground and they made their way back to the house, and back to where they were before. Ginny on the sofa, Mia on the coffee, Molly in the kitchen.

The time started to go even slower. The seconds ticked by in Mia's head, and different reasons as to why Ron and Tonks hadn't gotten back flowed through her mind. Did it really take longer then excepted to get to Muriel's? Or did something else happen?

Outside, there was another flash of blue light. Again, they all rushed outside, only to see an old trainer slamming to the ground- without Arthur and Fred. Mia pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. Two more people who weren't back. They re-entered the house. Something _must_ have gone wrong… two people _in a row_ couldn't have missed their Portkey by chance. Mia shook her head. _Stay positive_, she thought. Easier said then done.

Again, the seconds passed. One. At. A. Time. Mia curled up on the sofa next to Ginny, and joined her in staring out of the window. Harry was due back next, with Hagrid. Harry… the whole reason they had gone.

Tick… tick… tick… went Ginny's watch. Mia was closer now, so she could hear it. Ticks… tick… tick…

"That's him," Ginny suddenly murmured, getting off the sofa. Mia and Molly saw the third circle of blue light. When they got to the door, Molly shrieked in relief and happiness. Hagrid and Harry were swaying on the spot, both clutching a hairbrush. Mia, Ginny and lurched themselves at them.

"Harry? You are the real Harry?" Molly yelled, "What happened? Where are the others?"

"What d'you mean? Isn't anyone else back?" Harry asked. Molly, Ginny and Mia didn't answer. "The Death Eaters were waiting for us," Harry explained, Mia's eyes grew wider then they usually were, "We were surrounded the moment we took off- they knew it was tonight- I don't know what happened to anyone else, four of them chased us, it was all we could do to get away, and then Voldemort caught up with us-"

"Thank goodness you're all right," Molly cut him off, flinging her arms around him.

"Haven't go' any brandy, have yeh, Molly? Fer medicinal purposes?" Hagrid asked as Molly let Harry go. Mia looked up at him with a slight frown, but reckoned that brandy would help him a bit more then her small amount of potions. Molly ran into the house as Harry looked at Mia and Ginny.

"Ron and Tonks should have been back first, but they missed their Portkey, it came back without them," Ginny told him, "And that one should have been Dad and Fred's; they were supposed to be second. You and Hagrid were third and," she then looked at her watch, "if they made it, George and Lupin aught to be back in about a minute." Molly came up uncorking a bottle of brandy, and handed it to Hagrid.

"Mum!" Ginny suddenly yelled, pointing to the fourth blue light. George and Lupin appeared as they fell to the ground, but Mia's relieved feeling evaporated as soon as it had appeared. George was unconscious and his face and neck was drenched in bright, scarlet blood. She stood there, shocked for a minute as Harry ran forward to grab George's legs and help Lupin carry him into the house. Then her Healer side kicked in and she ran after them.

Lupin and Harry settled George down onto the sofa and the light fell over his face. Mia slid passed everyone and turned George's head ever-so-slightly, the blood instantly staining her skin. Her breath stopped for a second. His ear was gone.

She vaguely registered Lupin dragging Harry put of the room, and Hagrid shouting in the background, but only vaguely. Mia straightened up and pushed passed Ginny and Molly, briskly saying, "try and clean the blood up." Molly nodded and took her wand out as Mia made her way to the small box of potions, running her fingers over the tops. It took her a second before she just picked up the entire box and made her way back over to the sofa.

Most of the blood had been cleared away from his skin, but it still demanded his clothes. Mia's skin paled, she could now see the empty hole. Although it was clean, it was still bleeding. Mia pulled her own wand out of her pocket and hovered it over the hole, muttering something. It still bled. She paused for a second in shock- that should've worked! She tried again, but it still carried on bleeding.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

"It… it… wait a second," Mia replied. She tried several other spells, and finally, the bleeding stopped. She licked her lips before taking a gentle hold on George's face, tilting it so she could see the wound even better.

Leaning back, she picked a pot from the box. She'd put the potions into anything she could find: proper potion vials, jam hats, dented metal tins. She took the lid off and wiped her fingers over her jeans quickly- leaving a smear of blood. She dipped her now- relatively- clean fingers into the pot and coated them in the thin, but gloopy purplish liquid. She ran it around the edge of the hole.

"Ok," she muttered, licking her lips, "that should close off any infection." It was more for her own benefit then anyone else's. "now I need to regrow it… regrow it…" she looked up at Molly and Ginny, "how do I do that…"

"Do you know how to?" Ginny asked. Mia nodded.

"Should do," she replied shakily. She jabbed her wand at the wound, muttering a rather long spell. Again, nothing happened. She breathed out heavily. That didn't necessarily mean anything- she _was_ in Creature-Induced Injuries, after all, not regrowing body parts. She tried again. And again. And again.

With her eyes now as wide as the moon, and her skin just as pale, she inspecting the wound again. Her teeth clenched together and she looked up at Molly and Ginny, panicked.

"What?" Ginny asked. Mia shook her head slowly. Molly knelt down next to her.

"It… its been cursed off… by Dark Magic… I can't regrow it!" Molly's eyes flickered from Mia, to George, and back to Mia. Mia just started at the carpet.

"How is he?" they heard suddenly. Harry had walked back into the living room. Molly looked up at him, and Mia moved her eyes to George's face and, even though she knew it wouldn't work, she tried the spell again.

Molly looked at Mia fro a second as she tried again, then answered Harry with "We can't make it grow back, not when it's been removed by Dark Magic. But it could've been so much worse . . . . He's alive." _Good point_, ran through Mia's mind. Somewhere deep in the back of it.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Thank God."

"Did I hear someone else in the yard?" Ginny asked. Mia looked up very quickly. She hadn't.

"Hermione and Kingsley," Harry replied. A drop of relief made its way through her.

"Thank goodness," Ginny whispered.

"Are they injured in any way?" Mia asked, her voice flat.

"No," Harry replied. Mia nodded, then tried the spell again. She dropped her wand on the floor and pulled the box of potions roughly towards her. She pulled out potion after potion. Maybe she'd made something that could help? But she hadn't. And she knew that. There was nothing that could help.

There was a crash from the kitchen.

"I'll prove who I am, Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!" Mia's head shot up. that was Mr Weasley. Sure enough, Arthur and Fred came stumbling into the room.

"Arthur!" Molly flew at him, "Oh thank goodness!"

"How is he?" he asked.

Mia locked eyes with Fred as he hung over the back of the sofa. Her eyes were glazed with a thin line of tears. "I've tried everything," she promised, "_nothing_ is working."

George stirred. Everyone's heads snapped down to look at him.

"How do you feel, Georgie?" Molly asked, very quietly. George brought one of his hands up to the wound.

"Saintlike," he muttered. Mia clenched one of the potions she was holding even harder.

"What's wrong with him?" Fred asked, going even paler then Mia. "Is his mind affected?"

"It… it _shouldn't _be," she replied.

"Saintlike," George's eyes flickered open, "You see. . . I'm holy. Holey, Fred, geddit?"

Colour rushed up into Fred's face. Molly's sobs got louder. Mia dropped the potion she was holding, and the metal tin it was in cluttered to the floor.

"Pathetic," Fred said, "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humour before you, you go for holey?" Mia started shaking her head as George shrugged a little.

"Ah well," he replied, then looked at Molly, "You'll be able to tell us apart now, anyway, Mum." He looked around at them all and his eyes fell on Mia, who was still shaking her head slightly. He smiled tentatively at her, and, after a second, she returned a rather sad one. George's eyes moved on and landed on Harry.

"Hi, Harry- you are Harry, right?" he asked, squinting a little.

"Yeah, I am," Harry replied, walking a little closer.

"Well, at least we got you back okay. Why aren't Ron and Bill huddled round my sickbed?" George looked around again.

"They're not back yet, George," Molly replied softly. Sighing, Mia turned back to her box of potions and picked up the metal tin she'd dropped earlier. She registered Harry and Ginny leaving the room, talking quietly. She slid out a glass bottle and handed it George.

"Blood-Replenishing Potion," she told him. He looked at the liquid for a minute before Mia said; "drink it," blankly. A few more minutes passed before Ginny came running into the room.

"Ron and Tonks," she panted, "their back!"

"Oh!" Molly gasped, and, sending one last look at George, ran outside, Arthur following her.

"They ok?" Mia asked Ginny, who nodded.

"They're alright, not injured."

"Ok," Mia replied, before looking through her box again. Ginny left and Mia looked up at Fred and George, licking her lips. "I'm really sorry," she told them.

"What for?" George said, trying to sit up. He grimaced and Mia reached up to his shoulder and pushed him back down softly. She shrugged, and looked at Fred.

"I can't grow it back," she answered, gesturing to George's head, "I… nothing can," her arms fell uselessly to her sides.

"Oi," George said softly, leaning down and taking her hand. She looked up at him, "I'm fine."

"You haven't got an ear, George," Fred reminded him.

"Yeah, ok, apart from that," George said, offhandedly.

"That's a pretty big thing," Mia told him, pushing herself up and sitting of the edge of the sofa. "You told me you'd be fine," she said.

"I _am_," George insisted.

"_You haven't got an ear_," she repeated, as it talking to a small child.

"Alright, alright," Fred butted in, "he may have lost an ear, but I don't think that means he's suddenly become stupid!" Mia's lip quirked.

"_Become_?" she asked, her smile growing.

"Ok then, I don't think that makes him even more stupid," Fred replied. Mia giggled a bit.

"Oi!" George said, indignantly. Mia pressed her lips together, along with Fred, but the laughter still bubbled out.

Then everyone else walked in, all looking very sombre

"What's wrong?" Fred asked the shadow of a smile still on his lips, "What's happened? Who's-?"

"Mad-Eye. Dead," Arthur said. Mia, George and Fred's smiles fell completely. _Dead_? Mia thought. It was a shock… with all his scars and everything; she'd always guessed nothing could kill him…

From the other side of the room, Bill took out a bottle of firewhiskey and poured it into glasses. "Here," he said, and sent the glasses floating across the them. "Mad-Eye," he said, holding his glass up.

"Mad-Eye," echoed around the room, with Hagrid saying it a second late. Mia tossed the glass back and downed about half of it, feeling it burn as it went down.

"So Mundungus disappeared?" Lupin asked. Everyone looked at him.

"I know what you're thinking," said Bill, "and I wondered that too, on the way back here, because they seemed to be expecting us, didn't they? But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skulduggery." _He has a point there,_ Mia thought, taking another sip from her glass, "Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point?" Bill carried on, "I think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place, but Mad-Eye made him, and You-Know-Who went straight for them. It was enough to make anyone panic."

"You-Know-Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to," Tonks said, with a morose tone. "Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors. He chased Mad-Eye first, and when Mundungus gave them away he switched to Kingsley…" she trailed off.

"Yes, and zat eez all very good, but still eet does not explain 'ow zey know we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet?" Fleur said harshly, "Somebody must 'ave been careless. Somebody let slip ze date to an outsider. It is ze only explanation for zem knowing ze date but not ze 'ole plan." It was silent for a moment, and Fleur looked around at them all.

"No," Harry said, breaking the silence. Mia looked up at him, knitting her eyebrows together as he explained. "I mean . . . if somebody made a mistake… and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault. We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort." Nobody answered him, and he put his glass to his lips nervously.

"Well said, Harry," Fred came out with.

"Year, 'ear, 'ear," George added, and Mia rolled her eyes, taking another gulp of her firewhiskey and finishing it off.

"You think I'm a fool?" Harry asked, looking at Lupin.

"No," Lupin replied, slightly sadly, "I think you're like James- who would have regarded it as the height of dishonour to mistrust his friends." it was quiet for a other second, then Lupin looked at Bill, saying, "There's work to do. I can ask Kingsley whether-"

"No," Bill replied, "I'll do it, I'll come."

"Where are you going?" said Tonks and Fleur together.

"Mad-Eye's body- we need to recover it." Lupin explained.

"Can't it-?"

"Wait?" Bill cut his mother off, "Not unless you'd rather the Death Eaters took it?" nobody said anything, so he and Lupin left, and everybody except for Harry sat down.

"I've got to go too," he said. And, again, everyone looked at him.

"Don't be silly, Harry," Molly said, "What are you talking about?"

"I can't stay here," he replied, massaging his head, "You're all in danger while I'm here. I don't want –"

"But don't be so silly! The whole point of tonight was to get you here safely, and thank goodness it worked. And Fleur's agreed to get married here rather than in France, we've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you!" Molly explained.

"If Voldemort finds out I'm here-"

"But why should he?"

"There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry," Arthur said calmly, "He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in."

"It's not me I'm worried for!" Harry nearly yelled

"We know that, but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."

"Yer not goin' anywhere," Hagrid growled, "Blimey, Harry, after all we wen' through ter get you here?"

"Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" George added, pushing himself up on the cushions. Mia went to push him back down, but he batted her hand away.

"I know that-" Harry started

"Mad-Eye wouldn't want-"

"I KNOW!" Harry yelled. A few people winced at the level of his voice. His glare disappeared as everyone looked at him, awkwardness hanging in the air around them.

"Where's Hedwig, Harry?" Molly asked softly, "We can put her up with Pidwidgeon and give her something to eat." Harry looked up slowly, and didn't answer.

"Wait till it gets out yeh did it again, Harry!" Hagrid suddenly boomed, "Escaped him, fought him off when he was right on top of yeh!"

"It wasn't me- it was my wand. My wand acted of its own accord." Harry replied. Mia looked at him- along with everyone else- taken aback. A wand couldn't do magic _of its own accord_! Even Mia knew that.

Shaking her head, Hermione said, "but that's impossible, Harry. You mean that you did magic without meaning to; you reacted instinctively." Her hands were out in front of her, as if acting out the situation. This time, Harry shook his head.

"No," he replied, "The bike was falling, I couldn't have told you where Voldemort was, but my wand spun in my hand and found him and shot a spell at him, and it wasn't even a spell I recognized. I've never made gold flames appear before."

"_Gold flames_?" Mia asked. Harry glanced at her for a second, before looking back to Arthur, who had just opened his mouth.

"Often, when you're in a pressured situation you can produce magic you never dreamed of. Small children often find, before they're trained-"

"It wasn't like that," Harry replied stiffly. Everyone was still looking at him, trying to find a way of convincing him. "I need some air," he muttered, before leaving the room.

**Whoa, pretty long chapter- for me, anyway. So… I hope it was ok…**

**Please Review!**


	2. Harry's 17th

**Yo**

**Thanks to: Lobo de Fuego, twelvepastsevener, '-Magical Moonshine-', Avalon Music, the Anon, bluemickey22 and MarianneP**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but Mia**

Chapter 2: Harry's 17th

The purple lantern floated up to hang above the tables, and slowly rotated in the breeze so Mia could see the large number '17' pasted on the front. Across the garden, Harry and Ron were watching as Hermione shot streamers out of her wand and arranged them over the trees. Two people- one tall, blonde woman and one short, round man, whom Mia had earlier learned were Fleur's parents-, came out of the house. Fred and George were making more purple lanterns just along the table, laughing loudly, and Ginny was lounging against the table next to Mia.

"Out of the way, out of the way!" Molly was suddenly calling, as she marched out of the house, her wand pointed towards the cake that was hovering in the air. It was shaped like a Snitch. When she reached the table, she carefully let it descend to the table, and Harry grinned,

"That looks amazing, Mrs Weasley," he said, looking at the cake.

"Oh, it's nothing, dear," Molly replied, smiling.

Within the next hour, everyone except Arthur- who was still at work- had arrived, and were bustling around in the garden. Hagrid was having a conversation with Charlie, Molly and Madame Delacour were talking, Ginny was speaking with Hermione and Mia, Fred and George were all lounging around on chairs.

"I think we'd better start without Arthur," Molly said to everyone, "He must have been held up at- oh!" everyone's head turned a line of silver shot across the garden and stopped on the table, just next to the cake, and then turned into a small, silver weasel.

"Minister of Magic coming with me." said Arthur's voice, and then it disappeared. The members of the Order became uneasy, where as Fleur's parents and sister stared in surprise at the place where some silver wisps were just disappearing. Lupin was the first to speak.

"We shouldn't be here," he said, "Harry- I'm sorry- I'll explain some other time-" before grabbing Tonks' arm and pulling her towards the gate, where they jumped over it and Disapparated.

"The Minister- but why-? I don't understand-" Molly was muttering. And, not a second later, Arthur and Rufus Scrimgeour appeared where Tonks and Lupin had just been. Mia grimaced, remembering what happened last time the Minister had come to the Weasley's. Granted, Percy wasn't with him this time, but he had to be here for a reason. And she doubted it was a very good one.

"Sorry to intrude," Scrimgeour said, not sounding sorry in the slightest, "Especially as I can see that I am gate-crashing a party." He looked over the cake, and then to Harry, "Many happy returns."

"Thanks," Harry replied after a slight hesitation.

"I require a private word with you, and also with Mr Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger." Everyone sat in a slightly stunned silence.

"Us?" Ron broke it, "Why us?"

"I shall tell you that when we are somewhere more private," Scrimgeour said, then turned to Arthur, asking, "Is there such a place?"

"Yes, of course- the, er, sitting room, why don't you use that?" Arthur supplied, gesturing to the back door of the Burrow.

"You can lead the way," Scrimgeour said to Ron. "There will be no need for you to accompany us, Arthur."

Everyone at the table shot around worried glances as Ron slowly led the Minister into the house, with Harry and Hermione trailing behind them.

It was quiet for a minute after the door closed behind them, and then Madame Delacour asked, "Who was zat?"

"Our Minster for Magic- Rufus Scrimgeour," Arthur said, after a slight pause.

"And do you 'ave any idea as to why 'e is 'ere?" Monsieur Delacour asked. Arthur shook his head.

"He didn't give me a proper reason." It was silent for a while after that.

In the sky, the sun began to dip below the horizon. What had been a golden-pink sky was now dark blue, with only the slightest slither of gold in the distance. Then they thought they heard something coming from the house. It sounded like someone shouting, but they couldn't make out any words. Molly and Arthur jumped up from the table and hurried into the house, and the shouting suddenly stopped.

After a minute or so, Molly, Arthur, Harry, Hermione and Ron all trudged out of the house. "Well?" Bill asked, as they sat down, "what did he want?"

"To give us the stuff in Dumbledore's will," Harry replied blankly. Mia blinked.

"Dumbledore _left_ you stuff?" she asked.

"Apparently so," Hermione replied.

"Well, show us what you got, then," Fred told them, and the objects were passed around.

When she first saw the Deluminator, Mia briefly thought it was a normal lighter. Then she remembered wizards probably didn't even know what cigarettes were. "Well, what is it?" she asked, flipping it over in her hands. Ron reached over the table and took it, and she made a noise of annoyance, but then he clicked it, and the light from the nearest lamps went out Ron clicked it again and they turned back on. Mia's eyebrows quirked. "cool." She hardly gave 'the Tales of Beedle the Bard' a second glance. Firstly, it was written in Runes- which she couldn't read. Secondly, the first time she heard the stories (from Fred and George when they were twelve) she hadn't even found them very interesting, and proceeded to tell them the Brothers' Grimm version of Cinderella. And when she got the Snitch, she- just like everyone else- couldn't find a reason as to why Dumbledore had left it to Harry.

After a little while, Molly leaned over the table towards Harry and said, "Harry, dear, everyone's awfully hungry and we didn't like to start without you… shall I serve dinner now?"

"Oh, uh, yeah sure," Harry replied, placing his Snitch down on the table. They all ate quite quickly, sang Harry Happy Birthday a bit too loudly, and ate maybe a little too much cake (it was all gone, by the end of the party, anyway). Mia helped Molly pick up the plates and take them into the kitchen as Hagrid set up a tent to sleep in.

**O…k… so… I get this is a **_**very**_** short chapter… but I want to put the wedding into one whole chapter, so… um, yeah… sorry about the lack of words…**

**Please Review!**


	3. The Wedding and The Death Eaters

**Hey, hey!**

**Thanks to: Lobo de Fuego and bluemickey22 for reviewing**

**Disclaimer: if I owned Harry potter, I wouldn't be writing Fanfiction. I do own Mia, though. Also, can I point out that the **_**tiny**_** bit of French later on in the chapter is **_**meant**_** to be wrong- just saying**

Chapter 3: The Wedding and The Death Eaters

Ginny, Hermione and Mia sat in Ginny's room. Ginny was looking down at herself, fingering with the skirt of her pretty gold dress. Mia was lying down on Ginny's bed, dressed in a light blue summer dress. Hermione was sitting in a chair by the dresser in her lilac dress, inspecting her newly shiny hair.

"I guess I don't look that bad," Ginny muttered. Mia rolled her eyes.

"You look lovely, Ginny," she said. Ginny smiled slightly, and tugged on the end of her hair. There was a knock at the door and Ginny called for them to come in. Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, opened it timidly.

"Um, Ginny?" she said, "Fleur says she would like you in zee bedroom- to make sure you are ready…" Ginny nodded.

"Ok," she sighed, then looked at Hermione and Mia, "I'll see you guys downstairs." Mia raised her hand as Ginny left, before sitting up and straightening out her dress.

"Right, I'm gunna go down to the tent- you coming?" she asked Hermione.

"Um, yeah, I have to find my shoes," she replied, "I'll be down in a minute." Mia nodded, and waved again as she left the room. When she got outside and into the marquee, she spotted Fred and George talking to a rather old woman.

As she reached them, she heard the woman say, "George, are your ears lopsided?" Mia stopped beside George and blinked. Before George could reply, however, the old woman squinted down at Mia. "And who are you?" she asked. Fred groaned in annoyance.

"Mia," she replied.

"Oh," The old woman said, "so _you're_ the woman Molly was telling me about- the one living with these two," she gestured to the twins.

"Uh, yeah," Mia shrugged.

"Oh," the woman said, in a rather distasteful manner, and Mia blinked, looking taken-aback.

"Yeah, she's also one of the best Healers at St Mungo's," Fred said, crossing his arms. The taken-aback look slid off her face and confusion replaced it.

"Oh really?" the woman sniffed, her eyes skimming Mia from head to toe, and Mia shifted uncomfortably. "Hm, well," the old woman said once shed finished her scrutinizing, "I guess you'll be able to fix your own ankles when you break them, then" she looked pointedly at Mia's five inch heels, and the taken-aback look came back. "What room is that French girl in?" the woman asked suddenly, "I said I'd lend her my _goblin-made_ tiara for the ceremony."

"Uh, Fleur's in Mum and Dad's room," Fred replied. Nodding, the old woman left.

"I'm guessing that was Muriel?" she said.

"Yep," Fred replied, and Mia turned to him.

"I'm not 'one of the best Healers at St Mungo's'," she told him. Fred shrugged.

"Don't take the compliment then." Mia rolled her eyes and sighed.

"How long until the wedding starts?" she asked. George checked his watch.

"Not long," he shrugged, as they made their way towards the door to the marquee. Leaving, they spotted Harry (well, Harry disguised as a rather podgy redhead), Ron, and Hermione.

"-Don't take it personally, she's rude to everyone," they heard Ron saying.

"Talking about Muriel?" George asked brightly, pushing himself between Ron and Harry, "Yeah, she's just told me my ears are lopsided. Old bat. I wish old Uncle Bilius was still with us, though; he was a right laugh at weddings."

"Wasn't he the one who saw a Grim and died twenty-four hours later?" asked Hermione.

"Well, yeah, he went a bit odd toward the end."

"More then a bit odd, from what you've told me," Mia said. They ignored her and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"But before he went loopy," Fred continued, "he was the life and soul of the party! He used to down an entire bottle of firewhisky, then run onto the dance floor, hoist up his robes, and start pulling bunches of flowers out of his-"

"Yes, he sounds a real charmer," Hermione cut him off, as Harry and Ron burst out laughing. Mia pressed her lips together and covered her mouth with her hand, and Fred and George grinned.

"Never married, for some reason," Ron shrugged.

"You amaze me," Hermione rolled her eyes. They all started laughing louder, but stopped when a guy held out an invitation to Ron.

"You look vunderful," he said to Hermione, whose eyes widened in surprise.

"Viktor!" she screamed, dropping the bag she was holding. _Thump_. Mia looked down at it with confusion as Hermione bent down to pick it up. "I didn't know you were- goodness- it's lovely to see- how are you?"

"How come you're here?" Ron asked suddenly, and loudly, causing several passers by to look at them.

"Fleur invited me," Viktor Krum replied, half shrugging. Ron glared at Krum for a second, before Harry intervened.

"Um, why don't I show you to your seat?" Krum accepted and they entered the marquee. Ron's face had turned red and Hermione was looking around awkwardly. They all stood there for a moment, until Fred coughed.

"Well," he said, checking his watch, "I think its time we went in." Mia nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes," Hermione said, still a little flustered, "very good idea…" she was the first to walk into the large tent, with Fred, George and Mia following, and Ron trailing at the back.

"Time to sit down," Fred said, as they caught up with Harry, "or we're going to get run over by the bride." Mia sat in between the twins in the front row, as Harry, Ron and Hermione sat behind them.

Just after Molly and Arthur sat down, Bill and Charlie stood up. Next to Mia, Fred let out a wolf-whistle, and several women on the other side of the tent giggled. "Fleur's Veela cousins!" Fred whispered proudly to Mia, and she rolled her eyes as music started to play.

"Ooooh!" she heard Hermione say, and everyone turned towards the door.

Fleur was walking slowly down the aisle, with Monsieur Delacour bouncing along beside her. Fleur was smiling softly- her Veela blood obviously shining through, because it seemed like there was some kind of odd glow about her. Walking behind her was Ginny and Gabrielle, both of whom looked very pretty in their bridesmaids' dresses.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice called their attention, and, "we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful souls-"

"Yes, my tiara set off the whole thing nicely," Muriel said, in a very loud whisper, "But I must say, Ginevra's dress is far too low cut."

"Do you, William Arthur, take Fleur Isabelle Delacour…?" the wizard up the front continued. A few seats down from Mia, Molly and Madame Delacour were crying gently, and at the back, Hagrid blew his nose loudly. Mia watched the ceremony with interest. It wasn't _that_ different to a Muggle one… the vowels were slightly different, and the wizard performing the ceremony wasn't a priest.

"…Then I declare you bonded for life." The wizard finished. He waved his hand and silver stars rained down, as Bill and Fleur kissed. Everyone started clapping.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the wizard said, once everyone had quietened. "If you would please stand up!" everyone did so and the chairs rose into the air, and the walls to the marquee vanished, leaving just the fabric ceiling. A square of gold spread out in the middle, leaving a dance floor, and the chairs surrounded a bunch of tables around the perimeter.

After they had congratulated Bill and Fleur, Mia, Fred and George grabbed a table near some of Fleur's veela cousins. "_Bonjour_," Fred said to them, leaning back on his chair. The four women giggled and one of them said something very fast in French. Fred blinked as Mia and George laughed. Another woman with short yellow hair smiled.

"These three are not zee best at speaking English," she pointed to her sisters. Mia watched as the band struck up a tune, and Bill and Fleur moved onto the dance floor. Mia clapped along with everyone else as they completed their first twirl. Several other people followed after a while, and Fred continued to speak in broken French to the four women. Mia rolled her eyes.

"Wanna dance?" George asked, grinning. Mia cast Fred one last exasperated glance before grabbing George's outstretched hand and making their way towards the dance floor.

George spun her around before slipping his arms around her waist as they moved with the music. About halfway through the song, Fred joined them with the yellow haired French woman, and he winked at them as she laughed. A little way a way, Luna Lovegood was spinning idly, by herself. Ron and Hermione were turning awkwardly, and Harry was talking to Krum.

As the night went on, Mia somehow managed to get into a conversation with another relative of Fleur's- a tall, flabby man who didn't speak very much English. Keeping that in mind, she had absolutely no idea how the conversation started.

"I," she pointed to herself, "do not," she shook her head vigorously, "understand," she pointed to her mouth and then to her head, "you!" she pointed to him. He looked at her blankly and then repeated what he had been trying to say to her for the past five minutes- in French. Mia groaned. Looking around, she saw Charlie and waved frantically.

"What?" he asked, coming over. He had re-grown his hair since yesterday- much to Molly's irritation- but it wasn't _as_ long as it had been.

"Help me!" she pointed to the Frenchman. Who just repeated his French statement.

"Just walk away and leave," Charlie supplied. Mia looked up at him.

"But that'd be rude," she said.

"And you're not?" Mia slapped his arm, and he apologised with an eye roll. "Fine, I'll help you," then he gestured to Mia, and spoke to the Frenchman, "she _non_ _parlez Français_." Understanding dawned on the strangers face and he shrugged, said something else in French, and walked off. Mia blinked.

"If Fleur's having relatives over regularly, I'm getting a phrase book!" she grumbled. Charlie sniggered and led her over to a table

"Where's George?" he asked, and Mia looked around, shrugging.

"Talking to Lupin, I think," she replied, then, changing the subject, she asked, "so how're the dragons?" Charlie grimaced.

"We've got a new one," he replied, "a new _violent_ one."

"Ooo, harsh… has it burnt you yet?" she inquired brightly. Charlie rolled his eyes and yanked up the sleeve of his robe. Mia bent over it.

"You do _have_ Healers there, right?" she asked, because the wound looked as if it hadn't received any attention at all. Charlie grinned.

"Yeah, but what's the point? I'll just get burned again." Mia rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, a silver beam of light shot through the canopy, turning into a white lynx mid-fall, and landing softly on the middle of the dance floor. Everyone turned to look at it, astonished, the dancers stopped moving, and the band stopped playing. The lynx opened its mouth and, in the voice of Kinglsey Shacklebolt, said, "The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." And then it disappeared.

It was silent for a second- one second that seemed much longer- as everyone processed what had just happened. Nobody needed to ask who _they_ were. Mia stared at the silver smoke left from the Patronus. Then a woman at the table next to her screamed.

Mia flew away from the table, with Charlie following behind her. She pulled out her wand as guests around her Disapparated. A tiny part of her mind registered that the protective spells around the Burrow must have broken, but that thought shattered as soon as a hooded figure appeared in front of her, its wand raised.

"_Protego_!" she screamed, and whatever spell the Death Eater had shot rebounded and he stumbled backwards. She felt Charlie seized her shoulders and push her roughly out of the way. She didn't protest and flung herself into the thinning crowed. The only people left were the Order of the Phoenix. A Death Eater appeared in front of her. "_Stupefy_!" she yelled the first spell that came to mind, but the Death Eater stopped it with a Shield Charm. She ducked as he sent an orange stream of light towards her, and it shattered a table instead.

She shot more spells and jinxes towards the Death Eater. A few hit him, but most of them were deflected by a flick of his wand or he dodged them. He sot a spell at her and she felt a slicing pain across her calf. She collapsed onto the floor, and rolled out of the way of running feet. With gritted teeth, she sent another spell at the Death Eater. It hit his chest and he stumbled backwards, colliding with another Death Eater.

She yelled as a hand grabbed her arm, and roughly pulled her up, but her wand ended up in the face of Tonks. She thanked her by shooting the spell ready on her lips over her shoulder to a Death Eater that was pointing his wand at Tonks' back.

As the fight continued, it was evident that the Death Eaters were stronger. There was more of them. Hagrid was cornered by about five of them. Lupin was fighting two at once. Fleur- with her wedding dress shredded and Muriel's tiara discarded- was surrounded by three. Mia and Tonks, who were back to back, were taking on four. Fred was shooting spells at every passing cloak, with Ginny- who he had forced behind him- covering his back.

The Order were loosing. "_STOP!_" a voice bellowed. The Death Eaters stopped. For a second, Mia felt relieved… then she realised that the Members of the Order were separated into one's or two's, each tiny group being circled by a couple of Death Eater's. Mia and Tonks were in the middle of a very tall one and a slightly shorter one.

"We're not meant to kill anyone," the person who had yelled 'stop' said. He had a deep voice, that sounded vaguely familiar to Mia, but she couldn't think where from. He clicked to his left. "You lot," he pointed to a group of hooded people, "search the house." The Death Eaters left and made their way towards the Burrow. They heard a violent _bang_ as they smashed the Burrow door open.

"Now," the deep voiced man said calmly, "is Harry Potter here?" nobody answered. Mia could feel warm, slick blood fall down her leg. One of her heels had snapped, so her left leg was lower then her right. She gripped her wand as the two Death Eaters circle her and Tonks.

"I'll ask you all at large again… is Harry Potter here?" the man said. Again, nobody answered. "Very well," there was a crash from the Burrow, but the Death Eater ignored it, "Arthur Weasley," the Death Eater turned. On the complete other side of the tent, Molly squeaked. "You're son," the Death Eater said softly, "is friends with Potter." Arthur swallowed and stood up straighter.

"Yes."

"And where is your son now?" The Death Eater asked, in the same tone.

"He's in bed," Arthur replied, "with Spattergroit."

"Really?" the Death Eater asked. Arthur nodded stiffly.

"And do you know where Harry Potter is?" The hooded man asked. Mia blinked. She knew his voice. She _knew_ it! But where from?

"I don't know," Arthur said confidently, "he's not her." He flipped his hand slowly and the Death Eater looked around.

Fred was stuck with Ginny, who was still behind him. George and Lupin were being watched by Death Eaters. Molly was standing Fleur, and Fleur's hand was resting softly on Molly's shoulder. Bill and Charlie were standing together; both of them had adopted the same confident stance. Hagrid was crouched slightly. Mia's leg was becoming worse, a low, constant buzz of pain with the random, sharp throb- the blood was beginning to drip onto the ground.

The Death eater spoke again, a smirk in his voice, "lets see what other people know." He moved over to Bill and Charlie, asking the same thing's he'd asked Arthur. As he was walking slowly over to Fred and Ginny, the Death Eaters who had been searching the house came running back.

"It's completely empty," the woman said, "except for kid in the attic- looks like he's got Spattergroit." The head Death Eater looked over to Arthur- who had the slightest glint of smugness in his eyes. The he looked back to Fred and Ginny.

"And who's this girl?" he mocked. Ginny straightened up and went to move around Fred, but he held her back. "Do you know Harry Potter?"

"Yeah," Fred replied, his jaw set.

"And where is he?" Fred shrugged

"Dunno."

"What about the girl?" a nasal voice said. The head Death Eater turned slowly.

"What girl?"

"Potter's friends with that girl," the nasal voice replied- it was one of the people keeping an eye on George and Lupin. "That Mudblood girl." Mia's head snapped towards him and her fists clenched. Tonks softly placed a hand on her wrist, but the head Death Eater had noticed. He made his way over to them. Mia saw a panicked look slide over Fred's face, and then disappear. The head Death Eater stopped in front of her and paused. She couldn't see his face.

"Stuck a chord, have I?" he asked. Again, the feeling that she knew his voice came back. She could hear a smirk in his voice. Mia snapped her teeth together. "I guess I should have," the Death Eater carried on, "seeing as you are one." Her eyes narrowed. But, in the back of her mind, she thought _how does he know that?_

"Tell me," the Death Eater said, "do you know where Harry Potter is?"

"Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you," Mia replied. The Death Eaters hooded face moved a fraction, to look at Tonks.

"And what about you?" he asked.

"He's not here," she replied. The Death Eater moved on, and carried on his interrogation.

It seemed like they were there for hours. Mia's leg stopped bleeding and the blood had dried on her skin. But finally, the head Death Eater moved away from Hagrid. And looked over everyone again.

"I will ask one more time," He said, "was Harry Potter hear." Nobody answered. "Very well," he gestured to the room at large, "come, we will find out if he was at any of the other houses we searched."

She must have imagined it, but Mia thought he sent her one last look, before he Disapparated. Slowly, the other Death Eaters followed suit, and disappeared from sight. When the last one had left, Mia bent down and looked over her leg. George ran over to her and crouched down to her level. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just-" she brushed her wand over the gash, and it the skin seemed to knit itself together. Mia grimaced at the burning pain, but it disappeared as soon as the cut was fully healed. She looked up at George, who had a bruise on left side of his jaw. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fred and Ginny approaching.

"We… we should go inside," Molly's voice floated over to them. Several people nodded in agreement, and made their way towards the Burrow.

**Hm… I'm not to sure about this chapter. I think the first half was ok, but the bit after the Death Eaters turned up… I think it seems a bit choppy, but I guess that's up to you**

**And, just a little guessing game- who do you reckon the 'head Death Eater' was? And why do you think Mia recognised his voice?**

**Please Review!**


	4. In the Office

**Heyy**

**Thanks to: Lobo de Fuego, MarianneP, Bluemickey22, TheAnnoyingOne97, lil' ninj, h.p.c.k.m.a. and rowellylovesgryffindor for reviewing**

**And while we're on the subject of reviews, to anyone who tried to guess who the 'Head Death Eater' was in the last chapter- you were all WRONG! Hehe. But, no matter, for you will find out in this chapter**

**Disclaimer: I only own Mia, Debbie, Remiel and Ava**

Chapter 4: In the Office

Mia sighed loudly and turned over, shoving her arm under the pillow. It was a couple nights after the wedding, and she couldn't sleep.

After the Death Eaters had left, they'd all entered the Burrow- which was completely trashed form when the Death Eaters had searched it. Harry, Ron and Hermione had disappeared; everyone could only assume they'd left in the havoc of the fight. They were all relieved that they'd obviously gotten away, but anxious as to where they were now.

They'd all stayed at the Burrow for the rest of the night- in fact, most f them stayed in the kitchen, awake. Over the period of the next day, people had slowly left. Tonks and Lupin went first, then Arthur left for work. Fred, Mia and George had left around midday, and returned to the flat. And that's where they were now.

Next to her, George was asleep, breathing heavily with his back facing her. But Mia lay awake. Her eyes felt heavy, but they just wouldn't stay close. She stared at the closed curtains for a while, moving her arm slightly every time it got two warm.

Slowly, her eyes slid to the back of George's head. It was the side that was missing an ear. Hesitantly, she lifted up the hand that wasn't under the pillow, and it hovered over his head. Sighing, she dropped her hand onto his neck, a bit too heavily. She'd felt utterly useless after she couldn't regrow it- despite knowing even the most skilled Healer couldn't have done it.

George shifted and turned over onto his back. She quickly snatched her hand away and shoved it under the covers, but he wasn't awake. She sighed and curled up into a ball. She closed her eyes again, but they opened again a few minutes later. Stretching out, she closed them again. Finally, though, probably about an hour later, she fell asleep.

The next morning, Mia sat the table, downing her third cup of tea. "Mia?" Fred asked.

"_What_?" she replied, rolling her eyes.

"You alright?" George asked

"Fine. Perfect. Absolutely amazing." She replied dryly, draining her cup. Fred and George glanced at each other as she stood up and ran a hand though her hair.

"Don't kill the patients," Fred told her softly. She shot him a face before Disapparating.

At St Mungo's, she groaned at the sight of injured and ill people. She hadn't been in for the past couple days- so she was free for when Harry was transported from the Dursley's and the wedding.

Before she got to the double doors that led to the different floors, however, Debbie Ricci came rushing through them. "Mia!" she whispered, frantically.

"Huh?" Mia said, as Debbie grabbed onto her shoulders.

"Move!" Debbie dragged her over to a corner. A few of the people sitting in the waiting area looked at them, but they were mostly ignored.

"_What_?" Mia whined. Debbie shushed her, and looked around.

"If I were you, I would turn around right now and leave." She said.

"What? Why?" Mia asked, blinking heavily. She still felt tired from the lack of sleep the previous night.

"It's Ava," Debbie whispered, "she… she was-"

"Spit it out, Debbie," Mia said, exasperated.

"She's dead! The Dark Mark was found over her house last night!" Mia's stomach dropped painfully and her eyes widened.

"But then… who's the head?" she asked, and Debbie looked over to the door to Ava's office. Or… what _had_ been Ava's office. Debbie looked around frantically.

"Its…" she trailed off, and Mia waited for a second.

"… Its…?" she prompted, but then someone cleared their throat behind her. Slowly, she turned around, and looked up into the face of Remiel Marez. She blinked.

"Hey, Rem," she said, using the nickname he hated. It was a second before she recognised the smirk on his face.

"_Healer_ Homing," he said, sneering the title slightly, "follow me."

"Why?" Mia asked, cocking her head to the side. Remiel's smirk widened slightly.

It crept her out slightly. For months, since he'd become a Healer, he'd been emotionless. His face a smooth mask. But for the last few weeks- especially since Dumbledore had died, he'd started wearing his lips in a small leering smile. And each day, it had been slowly growing. In the past couple days she'd had off, it had become a full grown, wicked smirk.

"Just follow me." Remiel turned and walked away. Towards Ava's office.

"No," she heard Debbie say behind her, "don't follow him! Just leave and go home!" Mia glanced back. Remiel was a rubbish Healer! He knew hardly anything! Why was _he_ the new head?

Ignoring Debbie's advice, she followed Remiel into the office. The last thing she saw before he closed the door was Debbie's pale face contorted into a look of fear. Remiel moved to sit down at the desk. He didn't offer for Mia to sit- so she stayed standing. The small wooden chair near her didn't look particularly comfortable anyway.

"Mia Homing," he said, leaning forward.

"Yes?" she said. A cold feeling was beginning to crawl through her.

"Your parents…" Remiel said, "Are Muggles." Mia raised her eyebrows slightly.

"So?" she asked, her voice showing confidence, but she licked her lips. Remiel leaned back on his chair.

"Making you," he pointed at her, "a Mudblood." Mia's jaw clenched shut and her hands balled into fists.

"What has that got to do with anything?" she said darkly. Remiel propped his feet up on the desk.

"Quite a lot, actually," he told her, "see, _I'm_ the new head Healer-"

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed we were in the _head Healer's_ office," she spat. Remiel carried on as if she hadn't spoken.

"And _I _don't like Mudbloods." He watched in amusement as she went to move forward, but stopped herself. She tilted her chin upwards and looked at him. "So," he carried on, "I'm afraid- well, I'm _not_," he laughed a little, "that you no longer have a job here." He leaned back on in his chair further to survey her reaction. She just looked him in the eye. Her eyes narrowed.

"_What_?" she asked dangerously. Remiel kicked his feet down and leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands.

"You're fired." He stated. Mia snapped.

"You can't do that!" She shouted, "That has to be against the law!"

"Actually," Remiel drawled, "it isn't. And even if it _was_- it wouldn't be now." Mia was slowly walking towards the desk.

"Why?" she asked, through gritted teeth. She stopped in front of the desk.

"I'm sure you know, everyone knows" Remiel said, "We've taken over the Ministry." Mia licked her lips. But it was the _Death Eaters_ who had taken over the Ministry. Remiel frowned. "Oh, but don't you remember the last time we met?" he asked. She didn't answer. "At a wedding, wasn't?" he said, "a few days ago? '_Struck a chord have I_'?" he mocked. Mia's eyes turned circular. She now knew why she recognised the Head Death Eaters voice from the wedding. She started shaking her head. She was clutching the end of the table so hard her knuckles had turned white. She tried to string together a sentence, but nothing came out of her mouth, so she just glared down at Remiel.

"Now, if you don't mind," Remiel said, "I'm busy. Leave." Mia blinked slowly.

"No." she replied, her voice quivering with anger. Remiel raised an eyebrow.

"You forget," he said, "_you're _a Mudblood," her hands held onto the desk tighter, "and I can do anything to you."

"I'M NOT GETTING FIRED!" she suddenly screamed, throwing herself against the desk, causing it to scrap forward. Remiel slid his chair backwards to avoid being crushed.

"Now you see," he said, as if scolding a child, "_this_ is the kind of behaviour that gives Mudbloods a bad name." she licked her lips and swallowed hard.

"A bad name?" she repeated, "we wouldn't have a bad if you weren't so intent on MAKING SURE WE HAD ONE!"

"I'm afraid you're wrong there," Remiel replied, "_you_ cause the behaviour, _we_ just make sure that the common public are aware of your dangers."

"_Dangers_?" Mia yelled, "_What dangers_?" Remiel grinned.

"Check out yesterday's Daily Prophet when you get home." He took out his wand and waved it, causing the door to swing open. "Now if you don't mind- leave." Mia stared at Remiel for a second, her furious glare slowly crumbling into something made of fear and misery. She licked her lips and slowly stood up. After turning around, she left the office with jerky, hesitant steps. Debbie had obviously gone back to work; she was no longer in the corner.

Mia looked back at Remiel for a second. That smirk was etched on his face again. That disturbing, haughty smirk. Without thinking, her hand snapped to her pocket and she snatched out her wand. Practically throwing her arm out, she sent a stream of orange light towards the office, which exploded as it hit the ground. But it fell short of her target, and simply seared the floor just before the door. She didn't stay around to see Remiel's smirk grow, or to hear the gasps of waiting patients.

Fred was helping out a customer when the door to the shop slammed. Looking up briefly, he saw Mia push her way past the shoppers. Her face was twisted into an expression of anger and desolation. She passed George (who was at the till) without sparing him a second glance and wrenched open the door behind the till, smashing it closed behind her. George caught his eye quickly before running up after her.

"Um… Verity!" he called to the small blonde shop-assistant.

"Yes?" she asked, walking over to him.

"Watch the shop for a sec," he told her distractedly there's a bit of a… family crisis…" Verity looked slightly confused, but smiled and complied none-the-less.

When he got up to the flat, he found George leaning against his bedroom door, and he heard a sudden _bang_. "What's wrong with her?" Fred asked. George shrugged.

"She won't let me in," he replied, "and I think she's kicked the wall several times." They heard a quieter _thump_ from next to the door- as if Mia had slumped against the wall.

"Mia?" George asked cautiously. It was silent for a minute.

"_Do… do we have a copy of yesterday's Daily Prophet?_" she asked meekly, her voice muffled by the wall. The twins shared a confused look.

"No…" George replied.

"_Can you find one?_" Mia said again.

"Um, why?" George asked.

"_Just find one!_" George winced. She'd said it considerably louder then the last couple things.

"Gimme a sec," Fred told him, before disappearing back downstairs. George leaned against the door again.

"What's wrong?" he asked through the wood of the door.

"_I'll tell you that _after_ I see the paper_," she replied, so quietly he almost didn't hear it. It was silent for a few minutes before Fred returned.

"It was sitting on the till," he said, rather solemnly, waving around the paper.

"_What does it say?_" Mia asked. Fred tossed the paper to George.

"Um," George said, "there's a massive picture of Harry with the heading 'Wanted for Question about the Death of Albus Dumbledore'." The door opened slightly and Mia peeked through the gap. Her eyes were slightly red.

"No, that's not it," she said. Of course, she felt horrible for Harry, but Remiel had told her the reason she'd been fired was in yesterdays Daily Prophet.

She left the bedroom and rubbed a hand over her face, then took the paper from George. Opening it up to the next page, she stopped.

_Muggle-born Register_

_The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called 'Muggle-borns' the better to understand how they came to possess magical secrets._

_Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-born is likely to have obtained magical power by theft or force._

_The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle-born Registration Commission._

She licked her lips and read over the article again. And again. And again.

"What's wrong?" George asked softly.

"I got fired today," she whispered.

"What? Why?" Fred and George cried.

"Because of this!" she shrieked, shoving the paper into George's chest. He read it, with Fred reading over his shoulder.

"For six years- _six years_ I've worked towards this!" she yelled, "ever since Second Year! I panicked over OWLs and went _mental_ over NEWTs!" her fingers were gripping at her scalp under her hair and she started to pace, "and I _finally_ got the grades and I _finally_ got the job!" her face had become flushed and red, "and I have the job! For one year- _one year_!" Fred and George winced slightly at her tone of voice, "and then Ava gets killed by Death Eaters, and then a Death Eater becomes the new bloody boss and he fires me! Because I'm am effing _Muggle-born_!"

George walked up to her and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly. "Hey!" he said, and she looked up at him, "its ok."

"No, its not!" George went to retort, but she _was_ right. It wasn't ok. Instead, he just wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest. Glancing over to Fred, he saw that he wore the same worried expression that he was probably wearing.

**Ok, be honest: who **_**really**_** thought that Remiel was a Death Eater, eh?**

**Well, I hope this chapter was ok, so…**

**Please Review!**


	5. Tonks' Visit and the List

**Helloooo**

**Thanks to: Lobo de Fuego, lil' ninj, MarianneP, anonomys, h.p.c.k.m.a., bluemickey22, PotterizeMe, lightwolfheart and ThePinapple**

**Oh, and a quick thank you to Lover-Fighter-Writer for telling me how to update**

**Sorry it's been a little while- School's been a bitch, I've gotten hooked on reading a couple of other fics, and then Fanfiction went and fucked up and didn't let me upload anything…**

**And yes, I have **_**finally**_** changed my PenName back to Musicunderground**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter- just Mia**

Chapter 5: Tonks' Visit and the List

Fred looked up as he heard his name being called. He spotted Tonks making his way through the shop, her pink hair swinging around her face.

"Hey," he said as she stopped in front of him. She looked slightly urgent and was tapping her fingers along her thigh.

"Is Mia here?" she asked.

"Uh, no, she went out," Fred replied. For the last few days, since she had been fired, Mia had taken to walking around Diagon Alley for a few hours everyday- just for something to do.

"Do you know when she'll be back?" Tonks asked.

"Um," Fred checked his watch, "she left a couple hours ago, so should be soon," he replied, shrugging. Tonks sighed. "Why?" he asked

"I need to talk to her," Tonks replied. She looked around quickly.

"You could… wait in the flat if you want," Fred suggested. Tonks looked up at him, biting her tongue slightly, and then gave one short nod.

"ok." He pointed her to the door behind the till and she left with the shortest goodbye. She slid passed George and pulled the door open, making her way up the stairs. When she entered, she looked around cautiously.

There were plates and mugs stacked carelessly in the sink, the doors to half the cabinets around the room had been left wide open, along with the window in the kitchen, and there were various copies of the Daily Prophet scattered around- all open at pages to do with the Muggle-born Registration Commission.

Tonks perched herself on the edge of the awkwardly placed table and crossed her feet at the ankles, looking at the floor. She sat there for a while, kicking her legs back and forth.

"I wouldn't sit on that if I were you," Tonks head shot up and saw Mia closing the door behind her, "it'll probably collapse." Tonks slid off the table.

"I'm guessing you've sent the stuff on Muggle-borns?" she asked.

"How could you miss it?" Mia replied bitterly. Tonks smiled sympathetically.

"Well… I'm just here to tell you not to go to the Ministry," she said. Mia raised her eyebrows.

"Wasn't planning on it." she crossed her arms and leaned against the edge of the sofa. Tonks nodded, she'd thought that was the reaction she'd get. It was silent for a minute. Mia began to stare out the window, watching the clouds run past it.

"Well," Tonks said suddenly, looking down at her feet briefly, "I should be leaving." Mia looked at her, jumping out of her daydream.

"You sure?" Tonks nodded.

"Yeah, I need to be getting back to Lupin… he's been a little jumpy lately," she replied. Mia studied her for a moment, then moved away from the door.

As Tonks moved towards the door, she realised that Mia must be feeling rather lonely. She didn't have a job anymore, the twins were always down in the shop, and even though she spent most of the day walking around Diagon Alley, lets face it, the other shoppers aren't exactly that friendly nowadays. As she opened the door, Tonks turned around slightly.

"I'll pop in another time," she said. Mia looked up, her expression lightening slightly.

"That'll be great," she replied. Tonks shot her a brief smile before leaving, closing the door softly behind her.

For the next week or so, Mia's boredom and irritation grew. The noise from the shop, though quietened dramatically by the extra floor, gave her a headache. She started to leave earlier in the mornings, and didn't even mind when the stall owner waddled up to her every day, a pendant swinging from his stubby fingers.

One morning, she walked out of the bedroom after waking up, running her fingers through her hair. Fred and George were sat at the table, heads bowed as if reading over something. She cocked her head to the side and walked quietly over to them.

"What's that?" she asked, stopping behind George. The twins jumped and Fred hastily tried to pull something off of the table. For a brief, split-second, Mia was slightly amused by the memory of Fred and George writing a letter to Ludo Bagman a few years ago, and trying to hide it from her (and they'd succeeded- for a few months, at least). Once the image had passed, Mia raised her eyebrows, and Fred reluctantly pulled the Daily Prophet out from under the table, and handed it to her.

"They've got a list," George explained, "of Muggle-Borns that haven't been to the Ministry." Mia slowly took the paper and looked down at it.

The page was covered in a long list of names- and equal mix of men and women. She skimmed down it. Sure enough, about half way down the column, she found _Mia Homing_. She licked her lips and looked down the rest of the list. Most of the names she didn't recognise, but a few of the names vaguely rang a bell. _Colin Creevey_… _Dennis Creevey_… weren't those the short kids who loved Harry? _Dean Thomas_… he was that black kid in Harry's year, right? _Ted Tonks_… well, that was Tonks' dad. _Hermione Granger_… Mia guessed that meant Harry, Ron and Hermione were still doing whatever they were doing. Mia's eyes drifted down the page, and ended back on her own name.

"That's… not exactly comforting," she said, after several minutes of silence. Fred shot her a look, as if to say _well, that's an understatement_, but he didn't say anything. Mia stared at the paper for a little longer.

"Well, I'm gunna go out," she said, chucking the paper on the table. "I'll see you later."

When she got outside, the stall owner looked up at her from his stall. He didn't approach her like he usually did, but called, "Ten Galleons for a protective charm, Miss!" Mia paused.

"Ten Galleons?" she asked. The stall owner nodded. "It was only five yesterday," she carried on. She knew the prices of the 'merchandise' went up and down, but it had never changed that much in the space of one night.

"Well… well… certain changes mean different prices!" what Mia didn't hear though, was when he muttered, "for different people."

**Oh, I think I've just realised how hard its gunna be to do what I wanna do with this story. I think that chapters (the next few, at least) might be kind of short… but its all leading up to something!**

**Please Review!**


	6. What You See While Hiding in the Shadows

**Yo!**

**Thank you to: Lobo de Fuego, The Converse Queen, bluemicky22, lightwolfheart, rowellylovesgryffindor and lil' ninj. You're all immense reviewers**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter- JK Rowling does. However, I do own Mia, David, Marcus and 'the blonde woman'**

**Oh, and this chapter starts in September**

Chapter 6: What You See While Hiding in the Shadows

"Ginny's off to school," Mia stated, looking at the clock as it clicked to 11:01.

"I dunno why Mum didn't just keep her home," Fred said. Mia shrugged, but didn't reply. She agreed with him, Molly should have just kept Ginny at the Burrow- what with Snape being the new Headmaster of Hogwarts and a couple Death Eaters becoming teachers.

Fred downed his tea and stood up, running a hand through his hair. "I'm gunna go down and open the shop," he told them, "you coming, George?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll be down in a sec," George replied, studying Mia. She was staring wistfully out of the window, her eyes glazed over.

"K," Fred replied, after following his line of sight, then left, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Mia?" George asked, touching her shoulder.

"Hm?" she said, jumping and jerking around to look at him. Her lips were pressed together and her eyebrows were raised, making her eyes circular.

"You ok?" he asked. She smiled easily, her eyes softening.

"I'm fine, why?"

George looked at her again for a minute. The longer he was silent, the more glazed her eyes became as she drifted off into a daydream.

"You just seem… kinda out of it lately," he replied, snapping her back to reality. She grinned again, shrugging slightly.

"I'm fine!" she insisted, "little bored, little pissed off I can't go to work. But _fine_!" again, George stayed silent. This time, Mia concentrated on looking at him- making sure she didn't faze away again- and kept that seemingly effortless grin on her face. George sighed.

"I love you," he told her, "you know that, right?" Mia raised her eyebrows.

"Yes," she replied, "and I love you too." The grin turned into a softer smile and she pushed his shoulder playfully. "Go open the shop! I'll come down to, actually, I'm gunna go out."

"You're always going out," George stated as they made their way down the stairs. Mia let out a short laugh.

"What else am I meant to do?" she asked, "stay here like a bloody house-wife? _No_ thank-you!"

They got to the shop to see Fred lounging by the till and Verity walking through the door. "morning Mr Weasley, Mr Weasley!" she said cheerily, nodding the each of the twins. "morning, Mia." Mia smiled at her. Ever since her name had appeared on the list of Muggle-Borns, Verity had been acting slightly uneasy towards Mia.

"Well," Mia licked her lips, "I'll see you guys later." She gave George a peck on the cheek, mockingly punched Fred's arm, and left the shop.

Subconsciously, her feet took her to the little apothecary on a street corner that she used to go to when she ran out of potion ingredients. She hadn't been there for a while- since she'd gotten fired, actually.

Usually, when she entered, the middle-aged owner would look up from whatever he was reading (usually a copy of the _Daily Prophet_), glance at her, and then look back down. They'd had a couple of conversations, and she'd found out that his name was David. He was a nice guy- knew a lot about the Wizard vs Goblin wars (apparently he'd gotten an 'O' at NEWT level in History of Magic as well. How anyone could do that, Mia didn't know.)

This time when she entered, however, he didn't look back down to his paper. He just stared at her, his eyes narrowed slightly. Mia faltered, but took another step into the shop.

"Don't come in here," he told her. She stopped a taken aback look on her face.

"Why?" she asked. He looked at her like she was stupid.

"Because I don't want a Mudblood in my shop," he hissed. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened dangerously.

"What do you think I'm gunna do?" she asked, quickly and rudely. "_steal_ you're magic?" she flung her hands out to the side, a disgusted look on her face.

"Get out of my shop," he told her.

"Or what?" she said, throwing in a harsh laugh at the end.

"I'll get the Ministry over here!" David snarled. The expression on Mia's face flicked to fear for a second, before the disgust set back in.

"Fine," she said, "I don't need anything from this goddamn shop anyway," she muttered, turning around and storming out.

_I hope Death Eaters go to his house in the dead of night and kill him_, she silently seethed. She looked back to the apothecary; _on second thought… he lives above that shop. I don't want Death Eaters in Diagon Alley_.

She marched away from the dingy little shop. The few shoppers scurrying around the pave-stoned streets through her suspicious looks, but she didn't pay them any attention.

Later, as Mia approached Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, she saw two people hanging around a little further down. One tall man with dark shoulder length, tangled hair and a gaunt, hollow face, and one small, rather sleazy looking women with sleek blonde hair and heavy eyes. The man was standing over a frail looking woman, who was cowering against the wall, and his partner was looking over a slip of parchment.

"There ain't no Martha Stone on this list," the blonde woman said, opening her mouth very wide to say each word. The man backed up a little, and Mia could see the frail woman gasp for fresh air.

"I-I _told_ you I w-was Pureblood!" Martha Stone wailed.

"Yeah, well," the blonde woman replied, "we couldn't take you're word for it! We've already found five Mudbloods who gave us fake name!" despite her small frame, the blonde woman had a very dominating stance.

"Yeah, Ministry gave us a large pay-off for them too," the tall man said, in a low, raspy voice

Mia stood in the shadows, her wand in her hand. But she was shaking. Only slightly, but still shaking.

Down the street, the small blonde woman looked at the other woman- still cowering against the wall. "Why are you still 'ere?" she asked. The cringing woman squeaked and ran away. Mia thought about moving, but to get back to the shop, she'd have to walk _closer_ to the two people.

"We've covered Diagon Alley, Marcus," The blonde woman said, looking around, "there ain't no Mudbloods 'ere!" her heavy eyes skimmed over Mia's hiding place, and she shrunk back into the shadows even further.

"Then we'll search somewhere else," the man- Marcus- replied.

_Yes! Leave, leave, leave, leave!_ Mia chanted in her head. The sleazy-looking woman pulled her lips into a snarl, said, "We ain't found no one in three days!" before Disapparating. Marcus looked moodily around, before disappearing as well.

Mia literally fell from the shadows, gasping. The Ministry was paying ex-homeless people (at least, that's what they had looked like) to find Muggle-Borns…

**Wow, this chapter didn't turn out AT ALL like I thought it would have… it just kinda wrote itself. So, I hope you liked it and…**

**Please Review!**


	7. Chased

**Hey, guys!**

**Thanks to: Lobo de Fuego, The Converse Queen, PigFarts, rowellylovesgryffindor, Lil Ninj and Amber Jones 11**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything in it belongs to JK Rowling. Mia, Marcus, Sara and their gang belongs to me**

**Also, I'm sorry if these chapters are getting a little repetitive, but it should be changing this chapter**

Chapter 7: Chased

"You sure you're gunna be ok?" George asked, as Mia tugged on a pair of boots. She rolled her eyes and grinned up at him and Fred.

"I haven't run into any trouble yet, have I?" she told them casually.

"She's got a point," Fred said, sticking a bit of toast in his mouth, and then shrugged, "but maybe you shouldn't take any chances." Mia scoffed.

"Says _you_!" she replied, zipping up the second boot, "don't worry," she continued, straightening up and shrugging on a jacket, "I'll be fine!" but she could understand why they were worried.

It had been a couple weeks since she'd seen the two people trying to find Muggle-Borns, and since then, they'd acquired a couple new members of their 'gang'. Two more men. They weren't in Diagon Alley every day, only a couple days a week, but when they were, they scoured every inch. Mia had had a few close calls herself.

"I'll see ya later!" she said cheerily, as she slid out of the door and made her way downstairs.

As she left, Fred and George glanced at her. "she'll be fine," Fred said.

"Yeah, she's good with a wand," George replied.

"Well, she's alright," Fred told him.

"She packs a good punch," George offered.

"Kind of," Fred added. George shot him an exasperated look.

"Gee, thanks for making me feel better!" he said. Fred grinned wryly.

"No problem!" he said, clapping his brother on the back, "but you do realise we have this conversation every time she leaves, right?" George just looked at him blankly. Yes, he did realise that- that didn't mean they still didn't have it. They _both_ needed it to reassure themselves.

Mia pulled her jacket closer around herself as she walked down Diagon Alley. It was getting chillier. She kept looking around for the group of people hunting Muggle-Borns. Apparently they were known as Snatchers.

After about an hour of walking around, she was beginning to relax. She'd let her eyes wander up to the sky and look at the cold clouds drifting across it.

She faltered when she heard someone yell behind her.

"_Oi_!" it was a female voice. A loud female voice. Slowly, Mia looked behind her. There stood the gang of Snatchers. The small, sleazy looking woman. The tall, gaunt-face man. And the two new recruits: a very muscled blonde man, and a flat-faced boy. and they were walking straight towards her.

Mia curled her fingers around her wand, and licked her lips. _Oh, crap_, she thought. And she was just getting confident with the idea of wandering with bandits on the loose.

"Who are ya?" the woman called. Mia didn't answer. Instead, she just stood there. Finally, the gang stopped in front of her. "I asked," the woman said, "who are ya?" Mia smirked back at them.

"Marcus," the woman offered, holding her hand out, like an invitation.

"Yes, Sara?" The tall man asked. The blonde woman, Sara, smiled softly, and Marcus advanced on Mia. She didn't move.

What Marcus was about an inch away from she, she yanked her wand from her pocket and pointed it at Marcus' feet. "_Confringo_!" she almost yelled. The ground at their feet practically exploded, and the gang of Snatchers yelled. Mia shielded her face from the flying debris, before turning on her heel and running. Briefly, she thought she heard an echo of 'she's a Mudblood!' but that only made her run faster.

She thought she heard someone running behind her, but when she looked back, no one was there. Finally, she collapsed into a small, shadowed alcove next to the shop. The same shadowed alcove she hid in only a few weeks ago. For once, she was thankful she had a thin, flat body, other wise she would never have been able to slide herself into it.

She saw the blonde, muscley guy walk past. His eyes skimmed the area, including where she was hiding. She pressed herself into the grimy, damp wall. His eyes stopped on the alcove, just for a second.

"_Oi_!" Mia heard Sara yell, "_there's another bloke down here_!" The blonde guy looked to his left, "_she lives 'ere! We'll get 'er another day_!" the blonde guy's eyes ran around the area once more, before he left.

Mia peeled herself away from the wall, and peaked around the edge. She waited until he finally turned a corner, until she slipped back out of the alcove. Breathing shakily, she made her way back into the shop.

When she finally got back up to the flat, she closed the door quietly, staring at nothing in particular. Fred and George were both still at the table, and they looked up. immediately, they both sprang up and flew over to her.

"What happened?" Fred asked as George slid his hand into hers. Licking her lips, her eyes looked everywhere.

"Oh my God…" she said, as what had just happened finally hit her, "I almost got caught!" she yelled, "I almost got caught by Snatchers!"

**Don't worry, we will see the Snatchers again**

**Please Review!**


	8. Delving Into the Mind

**Hiya**

**Thanks to: Lobo de Fuego, bluemichey22, The Converse Queen and Lightwolfheart for reviewing**

**Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, so I don't own Harry Potter. I am Musicunderground, so I **_**do**_** own Mia**

**And this chapter is set just a day after the last. And as the title suggests, this chapter is kinda more focused on thoughts and feelings**

Chapter 8: Delving Into the Mind

George was sorting out the Pygmy Puffs. He thought one of them was ill: it was just lying there, in the corner of the cage. And whenever he poked it, it would just make some feeble, high-pitched sound, which he took for the Pygmy Puff equivalent of a groan. George furrowed his eyebrows and stared at it, for a loss of what to do. In the past few years that he and Fred had been breeding them, they'd never had a sick one…

He was just about to pick it up (well, he wasn't going to leave it there to suffer, was he?), when a shadow fell over the cage. Looking up, he saw a rather young girl with very heavy hair and pouting lips. She only looked as if she was just out of Hogwarts. She was looking through the window at him. Or… not at _him_, it was more like she was scanning the shop for someone. Her eyes only passed over him, and finally, she turned to her left and shook her hair. Another woman, blonde this time, stalked past, followed by four other people. That made six Snatchers. Mia had said there had only been four yesterday. In the space of one night, they had gotten two more recruits.

Obviously, that was bad. There were more people than originally though standing alongside You-Know-Who.

Up in the flat, Mia was standing in front of the door. Her jacket was swinging from her fingertips, she had one heeled boot on her left foot, and other was lying on the floor next to her right foot. She stared at the door, licking her lips every couple minutes, contemplating.

Why was she even standing here? Why wasn't she out there, in Diagon Alley, proving that she wasn't scared of those Snatchers.

But who was she proving it to?

The Snatchers didn't really didn't care if she was afraid of them or not. What they cared about was whether they actually _caught_ her or not.

So who was she proving it to?

Herself? Ha! Yeah, right. She already knew she wasn't afraid of them… Right?

_So who the hell am I proving it to?_ She thought.

The Ministry? Yeah, 'cause the Snatchers were _really_ gunna tell the Ministry when they failed to catch someone.

You-Know-Who? Wait, he was practically running the Ministry.

She really didn't know who she was proving it to. She didn't _have_ anyone to prove it to.

She stared at the door. She was standing slightly awkwardly, a bit lopsidedly, because one of her feet was about three inches higher then the other one, due to the heel. But, to honest, she'd stopped noticing that a while ago. She licked her lips and tossed oh her jacket, and then her second boot.

Wrenching open the door, she made her way down the stairs. The Sorting Hat had put her in Gryffindor! That meant she was brave! What had the Hat said to her? _Um…_ she thought. She couldn't exactly remember. She knew it had taken about ten seconds to Sort her though. And that Fred and George (who were, at the time, very new friends) had stuck their thumbs up at her as she walked over to the table. She remembered that Angelina Johnson had slid into the seat next to her a few minutes later. And she remembered that, when there weren't really many first years left, Fred and George had been put in Gryffindor, and they'd sat opposite her. She couldn't remember what the Hat had actually said though. _Oh well…_ ran though her mind, as she came up to the door at the bottom of the stairs.

The sound from the shop was loud down here. It seemed as if the thin door didn't make any difference. She thought she could hear Verity yelling for either Fred or George. She thought she heard a bunch of kids roaring with laughter. She thought she heard something smash. The twins wouldn't be too happy about that…

Closing her eyes, she quietly let her head fall to the door, making a quiet _thump_. Her hand was curled around the handle, but she couldn't open the door.

Ok. So maybe she was afraid of the Snatchers. Just a bit. She was afraid that she'd get caught. Not like yesterday, when she'd escaped. That was by pure chance. She'd escaped because the blonde leader had yelled out, and she'd seen them coming. What if she didn't see them coming? What if they crept up on her and grabbed her? Then Disapparated to the Ministry before she got a chance to do anything?

Slowly, she turned around and trudged back up the stairs to the flat. She'd left the door wide open. Closing it quietly, she threw off her jacket.

Ok. She was terrified of the Snatchers. She knew what happened to the convicted Muggle-Borns. They were sent off to Azkaban. With Dementors.

She hated to think what would happen if she was sent off to Azkaban. She'd seen pictures of Sirius Black just after he'd escaped when she was in fifth year. She'd seen pictures of Bellatrix Lestrange when she'd escaped a couple years ago. She'd seen pictures of all the other escapees.

Azkaban hadn't treated them well. She hated to think what kind of things happened there to make the prisoners faces gaunt and corpse like. Definitely anything that went against what Muggles considered basic human rights.

**Um… wow… a whole chapter with no speech… usually I can't make a chapter move forward without any speech.**

**Also, I hope Mia's fear of the Snatchers didn't come on too suddenly. I'm just thinking… after almost being caught, she might be more scared of them then she originally was**

**Hope this chapter wasn't too slow for you**

**Please Review!**


	9. Diagon Alley at Night

**Heya**

**Thanks to my reviewers: Lobo de Fuego, The Converse Queen, rowellylovesgryffindor, bluemickey22 and LadyLupin98**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but Mia**

Chapter 9: Diagon Alley at Night

"You're awake!" Fred exclaimed, walking into the flat. Mia looked over her shoulder from where she was making herself a cup of tea in the kitchen and smiled at him. It had been a couple of weeks since she'd almost been caught by the Snatchers, and it was now about half way through October. Mia had been going out less and less, fearful of what would happen if she ran into Sara's gang again.

"What's that?" she asked, turning around and nodding to something in Fred's hand. He smiled.

"It's a copy of the Quibbler," he told her, holding it out, "a customer brought it in today." Mia looked at him, confused, for a split second, before placing her cup down and taking the magazine. Unrolling it, she saw a picture of Harry's face on the front, with the words _Support Harry Potter_ splashed above his head in bright colours. Mia quirked a smile.

"It's the only thing publicly speaking out for him," Fred explained, "I mean, its all mixed up with the usual wacko stuff it publishes, but its defending Muggle-Borns as well." She opened it to the contents page and looked down it. Fred was right: about half the stuff was the usual crazy stuff it published (like _How to Find and Catch a Wrackspurt_ and _Common Crumple-Horned Snorkack Habitats_). But there were also pages title _What's REALLY happening at the Ministry_ and _Reasons to Support Harry Potter_ and _Muggle-Borns and Their Benefits_. She flicked through the pages, glancing over them.

"Thought it would give you something to do. For the next hour or so, at least," Fred said

"Thanks," she replied, turning another page.

"I'm gunna go back down to the shop," Fred said, nodding towards the door, "are you going out later?"

"Um," she thought for a second, "No, probably not."

"Just as good," he replied, "saw the Snatchers passing 'bout half hour ago." Mia looked at him solemnly. He really wasn't helping. Mia shot him a wry smile before he left, then, sighing, picked up her tea and made her way over to sit down on the sofa. She kicked her feet up and leaned against the arm rest, flipping The Quibbler open at the first page.

Within the next two hours, she'd down about three more cups if tea, and read the Quibbler from cover to cover (and some pages twice). She had actually become quite intrigued by all the creatures that the magazine claimed to exist. Some of the print was in tiny, curly scripts that gave her headache. Either that or it was in big, bold letters and she couldn't tell where one word ended and another began. But once she got the swing of it, it was all very interesting.

There were a lot of pages showing support for Harry as well. Even though there were some farfetched stories about where he might have been and what he might have done. They _were_ entertaining, but completely unrealistic. Still, it was supporting Harry, and that's kind of the only thing that mattered.

The door opened and the twins came in, after closing up the shop. "Still alive, I see," Fred stated, with a slightly dry tone. Mia rolled her eyes and rolled up the Quibbler, "Well? How'd you find it?" he asked, nodding at the magazine.

"It was actually really good," she replied, pushing herself up off the sofa, "it comes out every month, right?"

"Yep," George said.

"Recon you could get me one next month?"

"Sure," Fred replied, "We'll get you one every month!" Mia grinned.

"Thanks," She said

Later that night, Mia groaned in frustration, and turned over, slightly violently. She was trying to sleep. _Trying_. She hadn't been using up any energy recently, what with not going out on her daily walks. She flung herself onto her back. She was surprised George hadn't woken up yet. He'd stirred a couple times, but he hadn't actually woken up. _Wish I was a bloody heavy sleeper_, her mind grumbled.

Maybe she should start taking a Sleeping Potion. Of course, there were several problems with that. The only Sleeping Potions that actually _worked_ need a good few ingredients- ones she could only get at apothecaries. And, seeing as she had been practically banned from one of the only still-open ones in Diagon Alley, she doubted that would happen. Other, simpler Sleeping Potions took a while to get going, and even then they didn't offer the best nights sleep.

She stared over at the closed curtains, and shifted onto her side. It was utterly silent. The only sound was George's breathing. She wondered if anyone was outside. She folded her hands over her stomach and crossed her legs under the covers. She doubted it. Why would anyone go into Diagon Alley at night? All the shops were closed. All the cheap stall owners had gone home for the night.

Sighing, she sat up and ran a hand through her hair and looked around the dark room. She couldn't see much. Licking her lips, she leaned over and tapped the Gloww Ball Alicia Spinnet had given to her for her seventeenth birthday. The room lit up dully, changing colour along with the heavy orb.

She licked her lips and, without thinking, slid carefully out of bed and stretched slightly. Glancing back at George's sleeping form, she tapped the Gloww Ball again before creeping out of the room.

She hadn't left the flat in nearly a week. She had to get out. She had to get some fresh air. She had to stretch her legs.

As she tugged on a pair of shoes and a jacket, a part of her mind registered that what she was doing was probably quite stupid. But then another part argued that it was quite smart. The Snatchers wouldn't be around at this time. There was no one outside to harass. They'd either be in a busier part of the country, or sleeping. Or maybe dragging a newly caught Muggle-Born to wherever they were living, to keep there until morning- seeing as trials probably weren't being held at this time of night.

Quietly, she clicked open the door and padded downstairs. Opening the second door at the bottom of the flight, she glanced around the shop quickly, before trudging her way through it.

The shop seemed empty. _That's 'cause it IS!_ She thought. It was true. There was no crowd of customers. No Fred and George managing the stock. No Verity running around like a mad woman trying to make sure chaos didn't erupt.

When she left the shop, she winced as the cold, night air hit her. She'd forgotten it was October, and starting to get cold. Only a few more months and it would be Christmas.

She breathed in heavily. Recently, she'd been getting all her fresh air from flinging the small windows in the flat open. Pulling her jacket closer, she started walking. It was so _quiet_! Even though people generally kept to themselves when they went shopping, people hardly went around by themselves, so there was always the small murmur of conversation. Or there was always the sound of yelling and laughing from the shop. Or sometimes there was the sound of Fred breaking a mug or plate, but that was usually in the morning, when he was eating breakfast.

She could practically hear the silence.

It was nice, in a way. She didn't have a faint, buzzing headache from the constant noise. Her mind could wander without being interrupted. But in another way, it was slightly eerie. It was a little bit like an old Muggle horror film, where everything was silent before the monster attacked. In this case, she guessed the monster was the Snatchers, and with silence like this, there was no doubt she'd hear them coming.

She circled Diagon Alley, almost oblivious to where her feet were taking her. There was no fear of Snatchers, or neighbours who knew of her blood-status shooting her anxious and suspicious glares. It was cold, but she soon forgot about that. She doubted she'd notice it started chucking it down with rain,

Eventually, her feet carried her back to the shop, where she stood for a moment. Unknowingly, she'd let a small, idle smile slide onto her face. She made her way back through the shop, and back up the stairs, making sure to click all the doors quietly behind her. She kicked off her shoes and hung her jacket up before creeping back into the bedroom.

She felt tired now.

As she slipped into bed, she huddled up against George, who shifted in his sleep so his arm was half draped across her waist. And she was asleep within the hour.

**This chapter has been playing around in my mind for a **_**long**_** time, so I'm preying it lives up to the way I pictured it in my head.**

**Please Review!**


	10. The Search

**I am so sorry the wait. It's just that I've started revising for my GCSEs (**_**very **_**big exams, for my non-British readers) and even though I'm trying to find some time each day to write (you know, so I can break up the revision?), every time I sit down, I feel **_**absolutely**_** brain dead and couldn't write. And I have a feeling that may carry on until my GCSEs, which should be June/July, so expect slow updates until then. Sorry :/**

**Thanks to: rowellylovesgryffindor, Lobo de Fuego, bluemickey22, LadyLupin98, The Converse Queen, MarianneP, arashiwolf, AnimatedAbbie and DarkPhoenixLives for reviewing**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with it. But I **_**do**_** own Mia**

**And, just so ya know, this chapter is around the beginning of November**

Chapter 10: The Search

There was another list in the Daily Prophet. Another list of Muggle-Borns that hadn't gone to Ministry yet. It was considerably shorter then the one that had been published a few months ago, at least three quarters of the names were now no longer there. There were a few other pieces of paper laid under it. Leaflets, to be specific. They looked as if they had been scrunched up and a few of them were ripped in half.

At the moment, the flat was silent, except for the echo of the noise from the shop downstairs, and the heavy breathing of the woman sleeping on the sofa.

Mia had ended up walking around Diagon Alley at night quite often. Not every night, just a few nights a week. Although she hadn't told Fred and George. She didn't really know why. Maybe she just didn't find the need to. Maybe she liked having a little secret- something that was practically impossible when living in the small flat with the two boys. Maybe she didn't want to see their reaction if they found out. Either way, they were totally oblivious.

She'd gone out last night and that's why she was sleeping on the sofa. She hadn't _meant_ to fall asleep, otherwise she'd be in bed. She'd just been lying on the sofa with her feet kicked up, and a few minutes later, she was practically dead to the world.

Downstairs, a girl had entered the shop. She looked just a year out of Hogwarts, with heavy hair and pouting lips. It was the same girl who had been walking past the shop everyday and peering through the window before shaking her head and running off to rejoin the rest of the Snatchers.

From the opposite sides of the shop, Fred and George glanced at each other. They both recognised her.

The girl looked around the shop, until she spotted Fred, and walked over to her, a bounce in her step and a fake smile on her face. "Hello?" she said, politely.

Fred looked down at her and raised his eyebrows, "yeah?" he asked, in a rude tone to oppose her polite one, "can I help you?" Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see George watching them.

"Actually," the girl said, "you can." Fred raised his eyebrows even more, "there's been several reports that there's a…" she paused, as if debating something in her head, "Muggle-Born living here."

Fred crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes slightly, "Really?" he asked, and she nodded softly. He shrugged, "There isn't a Muggle-Born here," he said. This time, it was the girl's turn to raise her eyebrows.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Fred scoffed.

"I think I'd know if a Muggle-Born was living in my house," he stated.

"House?"

"Flat, then, the point _is_," he went on, "there isn't a Muggle-Born here." A tiny, almost invisible, sly smile formed on her lips.

"Would you mind proving that?" she asked. Fred paused for a minute, his mind going blank as to what he should do.

"Prove it?" he asked, praying he'd heard her wrong. She shrugged.

"Yeah," she replied, "I mean, if you really _don't_ have a Muggle-Born, then you shouldn't have a problem proving it!" Fred stared at her.

"Uh…" he muttered. She raised her eyebrows. What else could he do? Maybe he she heard them coming up the stairs, Mia could Disapparate out of the flat. Or something… "C'mon then," he said, trying to sound confident. Note the word _trying_.

He started to walk towards the till and he passed George, who sent him a look made up of a mix between worry, anger and fear. _Don't worry_, Fred mouthed at him. George raised his eyebrows in a sceptical way before Fred made his way through the door and up the stairs. Loudly.

Inside the flat, Mia's eyes fluttered open _bang, bang, bang_ and a woman saying "_Do you always walk this loudly_?" Mia shot up into a sitting position.

"_Yep_," she heard Fred say. She didn't recognise the woman's voice. Instinctively, she gripped her wand up off the floor from where it had obviously fallen earlier.

_Bang, bang, bang_, he really was walking loudly.

Mia licked her lips and pushed herself off the sofa, and pointed her wand at the door, backing away.

_Bang, bang, bang_, she was pretty sure there were only a few steps left.

Glancing around the flat, she leaped over to her bedroom door, threw it open and fell into the room. She slammed the door shut just as the Fred and whatever girl he was with entered.

"_See, no one here!_" she heard Fred say. The woman hummed.

"_What about in that room?_" she asked. Mia stood in the middle of the room, her wand clutched in her hand.

"_That's my bedroom_," she heard Fred say. The words were muffled, but she could just make them out.

"_Could be someone in there..._" she heard footsteps walk towards Fred's room, and she could picture the door opening. When the person obviously found nothing in there, she said, "_and what about that room_?"

There was a pause that was a second to long, and Mia strained to hear. "_'S my brother's room_." Mia heard footsteps make their way over to the door.

Her breathing quickened and she looked frantically around the room. Her eyes landed on the wardrobe. She paused, but the footsteps stopped outside the room. _I can't believe I'm going to do this_, she thought, before she skidded across the room and slipped into it. She heard the bedroom door open.

Despite the fact that she could easily be caught in a matter of seconds, she felt foolishly like a small child playing hide-and-seek. The fact that the last time she'd been in a wardrobe she actually _was_ playing hide-and-seek (when she was ten, against her cousin Jess), didn't help.

She licked her lips, and the second in which the woman was obviously looking around the room seemed to last forever. Finally, she heard, "_Empty as well_."

"_Obviously_," Fred said dryly. Mia let out a relieved breath as the bedroom door closed. She could hear a few more things being said, but she couldn't make them out anymore. She crept out of the wardrobe just in time to hear the flat door closing.

Slowly, she slid out of the bedroom, and saw Fred still in the room, looking at the door suspiciously.

"Who the hell was she?" Mia hissed. Fred whipped around and stared at her.

"Why are you here?" he yelped. Mia gaped at him.

"Well, why wouldn't I be?" she almost shrieked.

"Shhh! Keep ya voice down," Fred muttered. Mia rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her hip. Fred frowned, before saying, "I thought you might of Disapparated or summin when you heard us coming!" Mia closed her eyes briefly.

"Dis… Disapparate?" she mumbled feebly. Why the _hell_ she thought of that?

"Yeah," Fred replied, as if it was obvious. Mia closed her eyes again and gripped her scalp.

"_Why_ did you bring her up here?" she asked. Fred looked at her, concerned.

"She was a Snatcher, and she said that apparently there were reports of a Muggle-Born living here, so I said there wasn't, but then she said prove it, and if I hadn't brought her up here, she wouldn't known for definite that you were here!" he said, very quickly.

Mia sighed and licked her lips. "Ok," she replied, "just don't do anything like it again."

"Ok," he replied, still looking concerned. "You alright?" he asked. She looked up at him.

"Fred," she told him, "I've just hidden in a wardrobe praying that a Snatcher isn't going to find me," she looked at him sardonically, "yeah, I feel _great_!"

"Alright, alright!" Fred defended, smiling slightly, "I was just asking." Mia rolled her eyes, but returned his smile.

"Well get back to work!" she said, punching his shoulder lightly.

About a week later, Mia was wandering down Diagon Alley. Again. Looking up at the dark, star-spotted sky. She passed the tattered, shattered shop that was apparently Ollivander's. She remembered the first time she'd ever come to Diagon Alley, when she was eleven.

She remembered it being bright and cheery, with people bustling around all over the place. It had been her first taste of the Wizarding World, and she'd had a good first impression. Granted, Ollivander had freaked her out a little bit, but the whole idea of _magic wands_ had intrigued her. At first, she'd imagined a little black stick with white ends, like the ones you get in Muggle magician sets. Instead she'd been faced with a long wooden stick. She'd only gone through about five wands before she found her own.

Sighing, she plodded along the run-down street, hands in her pockets. She shivered. It was cold. She wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing in a couple of weeks.

Her mind wandered back to when the Snatcher had come to the flat last week. They new where she lived. They hadn't actually come into the shop again, but Fred and George had told her that they kept passing it everyday. With another shiver that had nothing to do with the weather, she turned on her heel and made her way back to the shop.

**Ok, so there's the chapter. I hope its ok… revision's kinda sapping away my creativity…**

**Anyways, like I said earlier, updates will be few and far between until my GCSEs have finished. I have my first one in a couple weeks :/ But after that, I should be good!**

**Please Review!**


	11. The 'Not Helper'

***Sigh* I still have exams, but its half term, so I'm taking a break form revising, and thought I'd write you another chapter**

**Thanks to: rowellylovesgryffindor, SomeoneSomewhereInTheWorld, Terrorist Of The Seven Seas, bluemickey22, MarianneP, Lobo de Fuego and The Converse Queen for reviewing. You're all immense**

**Disclaimer: I only own Mia and my little group of Snatchers. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling**

**So I hope you all like this chapter (or, at least, I hope you don't find it stupidly rubbish…)**

Chapter 11: The 'Not Helper'

Slowly, December rolled around, bringing with it bone-chilling wind, harsh snow, and a dull, cloudy sky. Fred and George seemed determined on trying to combat the depressing mood that the weather was bringing, and set to work making the shop even brighter, louder, and more cheerful then usual. It seemed to work. The shop became busier with people buying Christmas presents. To be honest, it was probably the only shop at the moment that sold anything worth _being_ a Christmas present.

The mood in the flat upstairs was completely different. Mia sat curled up on the sofa, clutching a half empty cup of cold tea. She was re-reading December's edition of the Quibbler. To be honest, she was more _bored_ then anything. Sure, whenever she had a run-in with the Snatchers, she started to feel a little bit worried, but that kind of wore off after a few days. She thought about other Muggle-Borns. The ones that hadn't been caught and imprisoned yet. She new some one of them were on the run. Latterly. Moving from place to place. Sleeping outside. Eating whatever they caught. She wondered if there were any hiding like her. Cooped up inside, with nothing to but sit, sleep, eat… sit, sleep, eat…

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Mia jumped up and snatched her wand off the table, replacing it with the cup and pointed her wand at the door, but she didn't say anything. "_Mia?_" she heard, "_its Tonks._" Mia's lips turned up into a small smile, and she stepped forward. Then she stopped. She still didn't say anything. it could easily be a Snatcher of a Death Eater in disguise or something.

"_You in there?_" she heard Tonks say again. There was a huff, and then Tonks said, "_You want me to prove it?_" Mia narrowed her eyes. Tonks muttered something, but she couldn't make it out. "_ok, um… oh! First time we met: Quidditch World Cup three years ago, when the Death Eaters attacked. We were in the forest and I fell o you and broke your ankle…_" Mia cocked her head to the side, before walking over and opening the door.

Tonks looked up and smiled. For some reason, her hair wasn't its usual bright pink, but a soft, light brown. Noticing Mia's confusion, Tonks shrugged and said, "less conspicuous."

Mia nodded, and grinned, "um… you wanna come in?" nodding, Tonks entered.

"Listen," she said, "I'm really sorry I didn't come 'round earlier. It's just… been busy, you know?"

"Don't worry," Mia replied, flicking her wand so the kettle started boiling. She looked down and noticed a tiny little bump on Tonks' stomach. "how's the baby?" she asked.

Subconsciously rubbing her stomach, Tonks replied, "its fine. I think Remus has finally gotten used to the fact that he's going to be a father."

"That's good," Mia said, throwing two tea bags into two cups.

"What about you?" Tonks asked.

"What about me?" Tonks rolled her eyes.

"How are you? It can't be fun, stuck up here all the time. it's not even like you can go and do mission for the Order of anything." Mia sighed, and used pouring the water into the cups as an excuse not to speak for a second.

"Um," she said, as she set the cups down on the table and slid into a chair, "I could be better," she finally said, and then licked her lips, "but I could be worse. I could be stuck in cell in Azkaban…" Tonks nodded slowly.

"My dad's Muggle-Born," she said. Mia looked up.

"Really?" she asked. She hadn't known that.

"Yeah. He went on the run. Not quite sure where he is…" Tonks mused, as she took a sip of her drink. Mia just continued to stare into the light brown tea.

The cup she had been using before Tonks had arrived was still half full. Still on the table. But she'd forgotten about it. she was currently thinking about herself. She was lucky. Luckier then most Muggle-Borns. At least she still had somewhere to live. At least she still had a promise of food and water. At least she was still with her family…

"Still," Tonks suddenly broke through the silence, "no use moping about!"

"Yeah," Mia replied quietly, "no use moping." She then changed the topic by asking Tonks if she had any name ideas for her baby, but apparently, she didn't. they spent a little while discussing it, but Tonks ended up saying she might just wait until the kid's born, and name them then. She also said it would probably be something nice and simple, ("Not like _Nymphadora_," she's said, causing Mia to laugh slightly).

Finally, thought, Tonks announced she had to leave. The smile that had been playing on Mia's lips dropped instantly. "ok," she muttered.

"I might see you around Christmas. Depends, really," Tonks said, as she opened the door.

"Yeah," Mia replied, "see you then. Maybe." Throwing her one last smiled, Tonks left. Mia closed the door and then turned around, slumping against it and sinking to the floor.

She was on her own. Again.

A couple of nights later, Mia was walking around Diagon Alley again. the fact that her feet might leave suspicious footprints in the snow didn't even cross her mind. Her thoughts were mainly focused on how cold it was, and how tight she could wrap her coat around herself. It was probably the coldest night of the year so far. Snow was falling lightly around her, settling in her hair and clinging to her eyelashes. The snow on the ground was thick and soft, silencing her footsteps.

Abruptly, she felt something push against her back and she fell into a wall. Whipping around, she found herself surrounded by the group of Snatchers that regularly patrolled Diagon Alley. _Great_, ran through her mind, _now they're searching at night as well_.

"You _really_ are stupid," Sara, the small, blonde leader said. "We almost catch ya, hell, we know _where you live_, and yet ya still come outside."

Mia's wide eyes flicked between the gang. She was cornered. "only a miracle is going to save you now," the other girl said.

"So, Mia Homing," her eyes became _even wider_ when Sara said her name. Sara smirked, "oh yeah, we know ya name. We also know you're a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and we _also_ know that 'cause of that, we get paid just that little bit more for bringin' ya in." Mia's hand started inching toward her pocket, before remember that she'd left her wand back at the flat. Instead, she clenched her fists.

"Anyway," Sara continued, "ya gunna come with us quietly? Or-" Sara was suddenly cut off by Mia's fist, which had collided with her nose. Mia jumped to the side and dodged around the two tallest men of the group, before sprinting down the snow-covered street. She heard one of the male Snatchers yell something, and a spell smashed into her back, pushing her forward and making her collide with the ground. Coughing and spitting out the rapidly melting snow, she pushed herself up and went to run again, but something caught hold of her arm. She caught sight of the tall, muscley blonde guy, and tried to yank her arm away. Instead, the man pulled her back, his fist colliding with the side of her ribs. Mia winced, and kicked him behind the knees.

"_Stupefy_!" Mia scrunched her eyes shut, expecting the spell to hit her. Instead, the grip on her arm slackened, and the guy crumpled to the floor, unconscious. "_Stupefy_!" the young girl who had been right behind the muscled man fell as well.

Mia bent down and snatched up the young girl's wand, pointing it at the tall, gaunt-faced man who was skidding down the road. "_Confringo_!" she yelled. It wasn't as powerful as it should have been, but it sent him toppling over, and he smacked his head on the stone.

She felt herself being yanked to her left, and she went to scream, but someone muttered "_Silencio_." Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She found herself looking at a leathery, middle-aged woman who was glaring at her.

"_Why_ does she _always_ get away?" Sara yelled at someone. There was a muttered reply.

"Good at dueling? She's a _Mudblood_! She ain't good at _anything_!" another muttered reply as Mia clenched her teeth. "Wake 'em up," Sara ordered, "if she's gone there ain't no point looking. Like I told her. She's stupid. She'll be back out sooner or later."

Five minutes passed, and murmuring could be heard. The leathery woman didn't loosen her grip on Mia, or lift the Silencing Charm. Finally, there was the sound of several people Disapparating, and the woman freed Mia's wrist. She rubbed it gingerly and looked at the woman.

"I didn't help you," the woman said quietly, and slowly, "you hear me? I am not going to be thrown in Azkaban for helping a Muggle-Born," the woman shook her head, "a Mudblood," it was almost as if she was correcting herself. "Don't thank me. Don't say a word. Go back home and don't come out again. I won't help you again." the woman flicked her wand, and lifted the Silencing Charm.

"Tha-"

"_What_ did I just say?" the woman asked. She then pushed past Mia and entered a building just a little way down the street. Mia stayed there, shivering, from the cold or the shock, she didn't know, and finally, walked down towards the shop.

The next morning, when Mia left the bedroom, George was still in the flat. "Morning," he said, smiling at her. She yawned, and replied with a small wave.

"Where's Fred?" she asked, running a hand through her hair and plaiting it quickly.

"Downstairs opening the shop. I said I'd wait 'til you woke up." Mia smiled sleepily and George's forehead creased. "You ok?" he asked, "you look kinda… pale, and tired."

Mia rolled her eyes, and didn't say anything for a second, "I just woke up," she said; as she walked over to him, "I'm fine," she grinned, "see?"

"Hmm…" George hummed, before pecking her lips quickly. Mia rolled her eyes and reached up, connecting their lips again, smiling. She ran her hands up his arms, to his shoulders as he slipped his arms around her, pulling her forward. Mia winced.

Pulling away, George looked down at her, "you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, trying to brush it off. Slowly, George unwrapped his arms and slid one around her side, pressing softly.

"Ow," Mia muttered, before she could stop herself.

"Ok, you're not fine," George told her. She didn't answer. Gently, George lifted up the hem of her shirt, and gasped. Mia looked down, and uttered a feeble "oh my god…"

On the bottom side of her ribs, a dark purple bruise had bloomed, from where she had been punched by the Snatcher the previous night. "What's this?" George asked, brushing his fingertips over it lightly. Mia didn't answer. "What happened," he asked her.

"I… fell over," she said, licking her lips. He just looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "What?" she asked, as he hadn't said anything.

"Mia, I've known you for nine years. I know when you're lying," he told her flatly. She looked up at him and licked her lips again. "Please tell me what happened?" she sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. Huffing in frustration, George strode over to the door and opened it.

"_Fred_!" he yelled.

"_What_?"

"_Come up here_!"

"_Why_?" George rolled his eyes.

"_Just do it_!"

About a minute later, Fred popped his head around the door. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Mia has a bruise on her side," George told him.

"What?" Fred asked, concerned, as he stepped into the flat properly.

"A bruise," George replied, "on her ribs."

"Uh, I am _here_, you know!" Mia cut in.

"Yeah, we know. But sometimes we like to pretend you aren't," Fred joked. Mia glared at him, but his smile didn't leave. "So where's this bruise?" he asked.

"On her ribs," George replied.

"How'd you get it?" Fred asked her. George looked over at her. Mia sighed.

"I fell over. I told you!" they just both stared at her. For a full two minutes, she stared back. Then she sighed.

"Fine," she said, and the twins raised their eyebrows, "Snatchers."

"What?" George asked. Mia closed her eyes and sunk into chair at the table.

"It was… the Snatchers…" she explained about going out at night, and then how the Snatchers had found her the previous night, and the woman that helped her.

"So now, I guess I'm not getting out of this flat _at all_." she finished.

"Mia," George said, "…why didn't you tell us?" he asked. Mia looked up at them, and licked her lips.

"I dunno!" she said, truthfully. "I… I dunno…"

**Ugh… I'm not completely happy with this chapter… I think it started off ok, ****but near the end… :/ but it's the best I could do. For now, anyways. Maybe after my exams I'll come back and fix a couple things.**

**Anyways, this'll probably be the last update until exams are over. Like I said, I'm writing this on my revision break. And I don't get a lot of them.**

**Also, I'm really sorry if these chapters are getting repetitive. It's just… well, I have a plan. And unfortunately, repetitiveness seems to play a big part of it. HOWEVER, I think that might be the last of the repetitiveness… I think. Yeah, it should be.**

**Please Review!**


	12. A Very Dreary Holiday

**MY EXAMS ARE FINISHED! Well, until next year, anyway. Which means I have more time to write for you all! Well, I **_**should**_** have more time, hopefully…**

**Anyways, thanks to: Lobo de Fuego, rowellylovesgryffindor, michness, The Converse Queen and lilycullen1997 for reviewing. And thanks to everyone on alerts and everything for waiting so patiently :)**

**Anyways, rowellylovesgryffindor, I'm responding to you review here, cuz I think its something that should be known, seeing as I apparently didn't put it across as properly as id hope. You asked who that woman in the last chapter was. Truth be told, she isn't really anyone properly significant. The whole reason I put her in was to show that, especially during war, there are people who oppose the people in power (in this case, Voldemort), but are to afraid of what might happen to them to oppose them openly, so they just do it personally. The woman that helped Mia was one of those people. She disagreed with Voldemort and everything he was doing, but was too afraid of him to do anything about it. she woke up when Mia was being chased by Death Eaters, and saw that she could help. Once she had helped, she realised that if she got caught helping, something might happen, hence the whole 'I didn't help you' speech thing… hope that helped!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, JK Rowling or the Potterverse. But I do own Mia**

**Anyways, this chapter is mainly centred around Christmas and New Year and all that**

Chapter 12: A Very Dreary Holiday

It was probably the most depressing Christmas she'd ever had. Mia sat on the arm of the sofa, kicking her right leg back and forth, re-reading December's edition of the Quibbler. On the front page was a large picture of Harry, with the words _Still Supporting Harry! _splattered across the top in vivid yellow font.

She hadn't left the flat for almost three weeks. The longest she'd every spent inside. If she wanted fresh air, she had to throw the windows open, and that only lasted for five minutes before it got too cold and she slammed them shut again.

Her and George (who was slouched in a chair at the table) were waiting for Fred to leave his bedroom so they could go to the Burrow. She was looking forward to it. leaving the flat. Seeing other people. Eating food that hadn't been partially burnt by either herself or one of the twins.

But Fred was taking way to long.

Throwing the Quibbler down on the sofa, she stood up and walked over to his door, slamming her fist against it three times. "Hurry up, Fred!" she yelled.

"_Alright, alright! Gimme a minute!_" he called back. Rolling her eyes, she looked over at George, who shrugged.

Two minutes later, Fred swung open the door and exited his room. "Ugh, _finally_!"

"Yeah, yeah," Fred replied, "ready to go?" he asked.

"We've been ready for the last ten minutes," George told him, standing up. Fred just shrugged.

"To the Burrow!" he said, just before Disapparating. Mia and George glanced at each other, rolling their eyes, before following him.

They appeared at the Burrow, with Fred already banging on the door. "_Who is it?_" came Arthur's muffled voice.

"It is us!" Fred said, with mock-dramatics, "Fred and George Weasley, and Mia Homing!" Mia rolled her eyes again and had to resist the urge to hit him. George just chuckled.

Arthur asked their security question through the door, something about the twins' childhood, and Fred answered with, "we ended up in the pond." Not catching the question that had been asked, Mia stared at him bizarrely, and then shrugged as the door swung open. Arthur was standing in there with a smile on his face, and ushered them in. The inside of the Burrow looked decisively more cheery then the entire or Diagon Alley. And the smell of Molly's Christmas dinner was already coming from the kitchen.

The twins and Mia entered the kitchen, and the smell got even stronger. Ginny was walking around the table, setting down plates. Molly looked up as they entered, and, abandoning her post at the stove, greeted them and pulled the three of them into hugs. Ginny greeted them as well, though Mia noted she looked much paler and slightly thinner then she usually did.

"Bill and Fleur aren't coming over, I'm afraid," Molly told them, and small frown falling over her mouth, "they say they wanted to spend their first Christmas together alone…" Fred scoffed as Molly continued to look very unhappy about their decision, "and Charlie's still in Romania, but Remus and Tonks are popping in soon," the smile returned to her face. "Dinner should be ready soon, as well!"

Mia sat down at the table as Ginny finished laying it. "How's Hogwarts these days?" Mia asked, as Ginny slumped into the chair next to her. A dark look crossed her face.

"Well, Snape's the headmaster, and there are two Death Eaters acting as teachers, so it's horrible." Ginny stated.

"Death Eaters?" Mia asked, a horrified look settling on her face. Ginny nodded.

"The Carrows. One in Muggle Studies, which is more like 'Why Muggles are So Worthless' studies," Mia narrowed her eyes, "and Defence Against the Dark Arts. Although now days, the 'Defence Against' seems to have blown out the window," she noticed the look on Mia's face, "don't you know any of this?" Mia shook her head.

"We've only gotten a couple Daily Prophets in the last year, mainly the ones with Muggle-Born lists." Ginny sighed.

"Muggle-Borns aren't even _at_ Hogwarts anymore."

"_That_ I know," Mia said, "but how are you?" Ginny smiled slightly, though it didn't reach her eyes.

"Me? I'm alright," then her smile grew, ever-so-slightly, "me, Neville and Luna have restarted Dumbledore's Army." Mia's eyebrows quirked.

There was a knock at the door. Arthur went to answer it, and a few minutes later, Tonks and Remus came into the kitchen, Tonks' hair was back to her usual bright pink, and (maybe it was just her imagination) she seemed every-so-slightly bigger then the last time Mia had seen her a couple weeks ago. It probably was just her imagination though. Remus looked, as usual, tired and his robes were shabby and patched.

"Oh, you managed to come!" Molly said, yet again leaving the stove to greet them. afterwards, Tonks slid into the chair on the other side of Mia.

"Told ya I'd be seeing you around Christmas," she said, with a cheerful grin. Mia smiled.

"Yes you did, happy Christmas," she replied.

Molly served up dinner not long after, and they all managed to push any stressed thoughts about You-Know-Who or anything about that to the back of their minds for a while. Well, up until they were helping themselves to Christmas pudding, at least.

"Did you hear about Kingsley?" Remus asked softly.

"Yes, I did," Arthur replied, mournfully. Mia, Fred, George and Ginny looked up curiously, stopping half-way through their conversation about Quidditch.

"No," Mia said, "what happened?"

Arthur sighed and dropped his spoon onto his plate, "he was cornered by Death Eaters about a week ago," he said.

"What?" George exclaimed.

"How?" Fred cried. Again, Arthur sighed.

"It seems that You-Know-Who's name has become Taboo," Remus explained.

"How fitting," Mia muttered.

"Exactly," Remus said, "it's a perfect way to track people down."

"Yes, so I don't want any of you saying it," Molly said, pointing her spoon at the twins and Mia. Fred just shrugged.

"We don't anyway," he replied.

There was a tense silence after that, as everyone went back to eating their pudding. It lasted for about five minutes (which seemed much, much longer), until Tonks, in a bid to get rid of the awkwardness, asked Fred and George, "so how's the shop these days?"

Later that day, Fred suddenly decided it would be a good idea to play a game of Quidditch outside. In the freezing cold. George was quick to agree, and Ginny soon went upstairs and fetched her own broom.

"No, boys," Molly said, though it was in a half-hearted tone, "I don't think that's the best idea."  
"Oh c'mon, Mum!" Ginny said, coming down with two brooms- her own, and one which Mia guessed was Ron's. "you playing, Mia?" she asked.

"Uh…"

"Go on!" Fred encouraged. Mia stayed in her chair, hesitating a little, before rolling her eyes.

"If I freeze to death, I'm blaming you," she pointed at Fred, who just grinned as Ginny threw her Ron's broom.

"Anyone wanna be ref?" he asked. Nobody answered. Molly narrowed her eyes slightly, Arthur shook his head, as if they were out of her mind, Tonks tucked her feet under herself and Remus just sat with his forehead creased.

"Fine, whatever." Fred shrugged, "c'mon."

The game lasted for half an hour, with Ginny and Mia playing against Fred and George. It wasn't exactly a very interesting game, as all they ended up doing was trying to hit someone on the opposing team in the back of the head with the ball they were playing with. Needless to say, Mia, being the least experienced on a broom, ended up with a headache, almost fell off of the broom every time she tried to catch, or throw, the ball.

Almost a week later, on a couple of days after New Year, Mia left her bedroom, running a hand through her hair and plaiting it. Fred and George were sat at the table, looking at something miserably.

"What's up?" she asked, feeling more positive then usual. The day at the Burrow seemed to have cheered her up immensely, and she'd been sleeping better at night for the past week, as well. The twins glanced up at her.

"We got this month's edition of the Quibbler," Fred replied.

Missing the dejected tone in his voice, Mia grinned, "great!" she said.

"Not really," George sighed. Mia looked at them and dipped her eyebrows, walking over to the table.

"Whaddya mean?" she asked. Fred spun the magazine on the table around, and Mia's face fell.

Just like every month, a large picture of Harry was spread across the front page. This month, however, instead of the usual smooth, yellow message about supporting, the words read _Undesirable Number One_ in large, heavy, black letters.

"_What_?" Mia hissed, clenching her fists. At the bottom of the page, there was a caption for reward money for anyone who had information of Harry Potter. "why the hell has he suddenly changed sides?" she asked, her voice quiet, her good mood gone.

Fred and George glanced at each other. "we were talking to Ginny at the Burrow," Fred started.

"Apparently Luna Lovegood was taken by Death Eater." George finished.

Mia's jaw clenched as she flicked through the pages. More information on how Harry Potter was dangerous. she was sure she caught the word 'Mudblood' a couple of times, but she didn't stop to read the articles in detail.

She slammed the magazine back down on the table, and stalked back into her room, banging the door shut. The twins winced.

"I told you we shouldn't' of showed her," George said.

"And what would you of done when she asked where this months edition was?" Fred retorted.

"Told her we couldn't get one."

"And next months?"

"Done the same."

"And the month after that?" Fred looked at his brother with raised eyebrows. George just stared back. After a second, stood up.

"Good point," he replied, before walking over to the bedroom. He opened the door and walked in, closing it softly behind him.

Mia was sitting on the bed, her legs crossed in front of her, and her book _Medicine Magic: a Guide to the World of Magical Medicine_ open on her lap. It was the first time she'd opened that book in a long time.

"Mia?" George asked. She looked up. There was no emotion on her face. Not even the slightest trace.

"How many people are really supporting him, George?" she asked, referring to Harry, "_really_ supporting him?" he sat down on the bed, "and out of those people, how many aren't Muggle-Borns, or associated with the Order, or related to people who have died or have suffered because of You-Know-Who?" she shut her book, "How many _ordinary_ people support him?"

George looked at her, before sliding his arm around her should and pulling her into him, "I dunno," he replied, "but Harry is _still_ out there. And Ron and Hermione are _still_ out there with him." Mia smiled into his shoulder and rapped her arms around his neck as she buried her head into his neck even more.

"This'll end soon," he reassured.

"You don't know that," she replied.

"You're not helping me trying to cheer you up, Mia," George said, and Mia chuckled.

"Well, its working anyway," she brought her head up and smiled at him. He smiled back before kissing her quickly.

"This'll end soon," he said again.

"I hope," Mia replied. George rolled his eyes.

"You're really not helping!"

**Well… there's your next chapter. Hope you liked it!  
Please review!**


	13. Moving

**I am so, so, so, **_**so**_** sorry! Yes, my exams are finished, but I still have coursework! And I'd completely forgotten about it! **_**A**__**nd**_** most of it is science, which I **_**suck**_** at! Plus the fact that I temporarily lost inspiration for practically everything I was working on, that didn't help. At all. So, yeah… sorry for the very long wait…**

**Thanks to: MarianneP, Lobo de Fuego, The Converse Queen, rowellylovesgryffindor, SighingWinter and Amanda for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Do own Mia**

**Anyways, this chapter is skipping forward a couple months, to about halfway through March**

Chapter 13: Moving

The year moved away from January, and, while it may have warmed up a little bit, the weather stayed cloudy and dreary. As Easter neared, Fred and George managed to develop a new product: a chocolate egg that actually hatched as the person went to eat it, shocking them. According to Fred, the egg wasn't actually made of real chocolate ("Why waste good chocolate?" he had said), but something that looked very much like chocolate (obviously) and smelled quite a bit like it as well, if not a bit weaker then normal chocolate.

During the weeks running up to Easter, the floor of the flat was littered with prototypes, and the small table was covered in scraps of parchment with formulas and ideas on the eggs. And, despite the fact that the twins were finally bale to stack the finished products on the shelves, they still hadn't cleared any of it away.

So, when Mia left her bedroom one morning, it really wasn't a surprise when she walked straight into on tall stack of 'chocolate' eggs in boxes. She screeched as the tower went tumbling and the eggs rolled out of the boxes. Once she'd righted herself, she looked around at the boxes and eggs, then over at Fred and George, who were sitting at the table, seemingly using the old scraps of parchment as coasters. Sighing, she flicked her wand and the eggs rolled back into her boxes. Another flick and the boxes were back in a tower.

She looked back to the twins, who were trying to hold back laughs, and she muttered, "'S your fault," as she ran a hand through her hair and made her way over to the sofa, jumping on it and kicking her feet up.

Later that day, Mia, Fred and George's conversation about a recent Quidditch match was cut short, by a loud knocking on the door. Simultaneously, their heads whipped around to look at it, as the person outside knocked again.

"Get into the bedroom," George said quietly. Not needing to be told twice, Mia picked up her wand and slid out of her chair, silently darting across to room and through the door, closing it softly behind her. Her breathing seemed much too loud in the small room as she pressed her head to the door, to hear what was going on outside.

"_Who is it?_" she heard one of the twins ask. There was a muffled reply, and then she heard the twins discuss something quickly. Mia pressed her head closer to the door, but she still couldn't hear; they were talking too quietly.

"When you told us about the Sorting," she heard, "what did you say it was?" A confused look slid over Mia's face as she heard the muffled reply. She heard the front door open and someone walk inside.

"…Where's Mia?" the person asked. There was a second of silence.

"Oh right!" the door was opened and Mia looked up into Fred's face.

"Thanks for forgetting about me, Fred," she said, dryly.

"Well, you were being so _quiet_!" Fred exclaimed.

"That was the point…" she replied, before brushing past him and into the living room, seeing Bill standing by the door. "Hey, Bill," she said, falling back into the chair at the table as he nodded at her.

"Not that we're not happy to see you," George said, "but why're you here?"

"You need to go to Muriel's," he started to say.

"_Why_?" Fred burst out with. Bill quirked a small smile, but continued on as if Fred hadn't said anything.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione turned up at our house earlier-" Mia shot out of her chair, and the twins stood up straighter. "-along with Dean Thomas, Luna Lovegood, Ollivander a goblin and a dead house-elf." Mia, Fred and George just stood there in shock. "they got caught by Snatchers, and taken to Malfoy Manor. I don't know exactly what happened, but they all looked pretty rough. But now the Death Eaters know that Ron's going around with Harry, so we need to get everyone into hiding. Mum, Dad and Ginny are already there. The house is being protected by a Fidelius Charm, and Dad's Secret Keeper. But we need to get you all there now before the Death Eaters decide to pay you a little visit."

Mia, Fred and George nodded. "Ok," Mia said, "so… we need to pack or something…"

"Preferably, yeah," Bill said, crossing his arms, "just a few clothes and stuff."

"Right," George said, then grabbed Mia's wrist, "c'mon then."

As they entered the bedroom, George flicked his wand and a trunk flew out from under their bed. Mia looked at it in confusion.

"Is this… your old Hogwarts trunk?" she asked, peering at it as the lid flew open.

"Yep," he replied, popping the 'P'.

"Right…" she replied quietly, as she walked over to the wardrobe and opened the doors.

After around ten minutes, Mia, Fred and George were all standing in the living room. "You ready to go?" Bill asked.

"Ain't exactly got a choice, have we?" Mia replied, slipping her hand into George's and interlocking their fingers. Bill gave a wry smile and shrugged.

"We're ready," Fred replied. Bill, Fred and George raised their wand, ready to Apperated. Mia clutched onto George's hand tighter. Seeing as she didn't actually know where Muriel lived, she'd be Apperating with George. George squeezed her hand before they were sucked into darkness.

They reappeared a little way away from a large, rather old-fashioned looking house. Still gripping George's hand, Mia looked up at house, her mouth open a few millimetres.

"Welcome to Aunt Muriel's," Fred muttered to her, under his breath, with a slight tone of dislike.

"Oh, she's just gunna _love_ to see us," George replied. Bill rolled his eyes as they made their way up to the house, and Bill knocked on the door.

There was about a minute of silence, until the dark-coloured door opened a crack, and they saw a brown eye peering out of it. Suddenly, the door was flung open and Molly Weasley rushed forward to hug her sons.

"Oh, you're here!" she said, wrapping her arms tightly around Fred.

"Yes, Mum," Fred replied, as she let go, and he rubbed his shoulders subtly from where she'd obviously squeezed a bit too hard. Molly moved onto to an embrace George for a minute, and finally, enveloped Mia into a hug.

"Hi, Molly," Mia said, smiling weakly.

"Oh, you need to come in," Molly said, bustling back into the large house, "Bill, you are coming in too, right?" Bill looked over his shoulder for a second.

"Just for a minute, Mum, I really should get back," he replied, as they entered they entered into a long, wide spaced hallway.

They walked down the hallway and entered the first door to their right, into what was quite obviously a living room.

Ginny was sitting with her feet tucked under herself in a soft-looking armchair. Arthur was placed on one half of a two-seater sofa (the other half had clearly been occupied by Molly). And Muriel was sitting in an old, yellowish armchair next to the cold, empty fireplace.

As they entered, Ginny looked up and her face lit up. As Arthur greeted them, Mia thought she caught Muriel muttering 'more occupants'.

A few days later, Mia lay in bed next to George, who was asleep. She was completely and utterly restless. For one thing, this bed was different to the one at home. It was a lot softer. Too soft. And the curtains were a lot thicker then the hers, making the room a lot darker.

The room itself was completely different to her one at home. Her and George's room at home was slightly cramped, yes, but it was warm, and… homely. Comfortable. This one was larger, colder, and emptier.

Mia turned over. There was also the fact that they were living in _Muriel's_ house. Muriel had already made countless of comments about how George's ears were apparently 'lopsided'. How Ginny's schooling had failed. How Arthur had never really held a high position in the Ministry. How Mia's Healing career was now nonexistent. How Fred needed to find something better to do then crack 'stupid' jokes. How Molly should have married into a well respected family. How 'that Potter boy' isn't working hard enough wherever he is, otherwise they'd all be out of this mess already.

About everything, really.

She slammed herself over onto her other side, and George stirred. She heard him groan and lift his head up, look at her, and let it fall back down onto the pillow.

"Ugh, you ok?" he asked, tiredly.

"Fine," Mia replied, curtly. He lifted his head up again, and held it there for longer.

"Mia?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied. George propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over her.

"Mia…" he repeated.

"I'm fine!" she replied, this time rather sharply. She huffed out and went to sit up, "y'know, I think I left my wand downstairs," she swung herself out of bed

It wasn't a lie. She _had_ actually left her wand downstairs, but then again, she probably could've just gotten it in the morning. Truth was, she felt confined. Very confined. At it was frustrating.

It wasn't like in the flat above the shop. Then she had been mostly bored. But now, she just felt like she couldn't actually go anywhere. And the fact that it was a big house didn't help, it might even have made it worse. She was careful about what rooms she went in. She didn't like being in any room alone. Or alone with Muriel. She pretty much stuck to the first floor, except for when she went to her bedroom spent a lot of her time with Ginny, or in the back room with the twins when they were running their now owl-post business. And she couldn't sleep on Muriel's sofa. For one, it wasn't comfortable. And two, she wasn't actually allowed.

George watched her leave the room with a slightly shocked look on his face, before sliding out of bed and following her. He caught up with her in the kitchen, where she had been helping Molly with the dinner earlier. She picked her wand up off the side, where she'd left it, and turned around.

"Seriously, Mia, what's wrong?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, what do you think?" she snapped, "I'm stuck in a house where I'm not even welcome, for crying out loud!-"

"Why wouldn't you be welcome?" George cut her off. Mia just stared at him for a moment.

"Well, it's not exactly like Muriel would gladly invite me over for dinner every day, now, is it?"

"She's like that to everyone though," George replied.

"But does she imply that the reason you got fired from your dream job was because you was a Muggle-Born?" Mia replied, rather quickly. George paused.

"But…" he said, trying to be careful about the way he said it, "but… you kinda… were," he finished lamely. Her eyebrows shot up.

"Yes, George," she hissed, "but she keeps implying that I got fired because I actually _am_ lower then everyone else, and not because of some stupid, prejudice views!"

"Oh, c'mon, Mia," George replied wearily. He was tired. She was as well, but while he just felt exhausted, her tiredness was slowly being churned into annoyance and anger. "We've told you about Muriel enough times. She's very old-fashioned, and she's really quite horrible, but she-"

"Oh, so you're defending her now?" she asked shrilly, her voice rising in pitch.

"What, no! I'm just _saying_ that you don't need to take it to heart-"

"I'm not taking it to heart," she replied instantly. George raised an eyebrow. She breathed out through her teeth, making an odd hissing noise.

"You know what?" she said, "I'm just sick and tired of being cooped up in a house! And not getting out!"

"But you know you can't go out!-" George's voice got slightly louder.

"_I don't care!_" Mia almost shrieked. She gripped her scalp and spun around on her heel.

"Mia?" he questioned. She ignored him. Her mind was completely empty. She wasn't even controlling her movements. "_Mia_?"

"I'm just going outside!"

"Mi-"

"For God's sake give me a bloody minute!"

_Or an hour. Or a day._ She thought. She flung the door open, and before she knew it, she was running across the garden.

"_MIA_!" She heard George yell.

She was sick. And. Tired of being kept inside. She needed to leave. For an hour. Or a day. She just needed a break. For _everything_.

She passed the protective boundary, and ran a few yards more. Before she finally Disapparated with an unusually loud _CRACK._ Or maybe it was just because the night seemed so quiet.

George stood halfway across the garden, from where he'd run after her. It had been to dark to see her disappear, but he'd heard the Disapparation. He stood I shock. He had no clue where she'd gone.

Meanwhile, miles and miles away, Mia appeared in the middle of a dirty, tarmac road. She was confused, because all she could see was a blinding white light. Then she felt something slam into her. And felt her head smack against the ground…

**Well, there's your new chapter. I think that was my first real cliffhanger… kinda, anyway.**

**So… can any of you guess where Mia's gone? Go on, have a go :)**

**Please Review!**


	14. Not So Safe Haven

**Hiya! Another chapter for you all, and its out quicker then the last few. I've had this idea in my head for **_**ages**_**, so I'm hoping it lives up to how I pictured it in my head :)**

**Thanks to: Katy Married A Weasley, Lobo de Fuego, Bellaroe, MarianneP, DarkPhoenixLives, The Converse Queen, vixen519, Amanda, quidditchandsonicscrewdrivers and michness. Love you guys :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or anything to do with it. I do own Mia**

Chapter 14: Not So Safe Haven

Mia blinked frantically as her vision began to blur. Pain slowly spread throughout her skull, and she heard someone yell her name from far above. There was a slam and the sound of running feet, and she vaguely saw the outline of someone kneel down beside her.

"Oh my God, are you ok? I'm so sorry! I didn't see you! You just ran out! I'm so sorry! Are you ok? Do you need an ambulance? Can you hear me? I'm so sorry!" a panicked, male voice babbled. Mia groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She looked up to see a middle-aged man, and when she shifted her eyes and lifted her head every so slightly, she saw the front of a battered grey car. Pain washed over her head and she put her head back down on the hard road.

She heard someone else running towards her, and saw someone skid to a stop, before crouching down.

"What. The. Hell, Mia?" Mia stared into eyes which were exactly like her own, too-wide for the young woman's face and light brown. The young woman pushed her short, unevenly-cut black hair out of her face and looked down at Mia.

"Hey, Jess," she said, smiling weakly at her twenty-two year old cousin.

"I'm really, really sorry!" the middle-aged man blurt out. Mia glanced at him and shook her head faintly.

"'S ok. Can someone help me up?" she lifted one of her hands and Jess grabbed it, and then paused. Discreetly, Mia slid her wand, which was still in her hand from Apperating, under the waistline of her pyjama bottoms, and covered the tip of it with her top.

"You should really go to hospital," she said.

"No!" Mia replied, licking her lips, "I'm fine, I just need a pack of ice or summin…"

"I can get you ambulance!" the middle-aged man said.

"No, seriously, just help me up!" Jess slowly pulled Mia up, and she staggered a little bit. The two people looked at her with concern.

"I don't need the hospital!" Mia reassured them, "just… can we please go inside?" She looked around.

She was in London. There would no doubt be countless groups of Snatchers here. _Maybe this wasn't the best idea…_ she thought. But she was here already. And she couldn't exactly go back.

Jess still didn't move, and just stared up at her cousin worriedly. She was shorter then Mia, about half a head shorter then her. Rolling her eyes, Mia walked past her cousin and the middle-aged man, and, trying not to clutch her head, made her way into the building where Jess lived.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jess called, jogging to catch up, "You're not taking the stairs." Mia blinked at her.

"How else am I gunna get up to your flat?" she asked. Jess pointed to her right, where two rather dirty, graffitied lifts were placed. "You live on the first floor." Mia stated.

"And people- especially _dizzy_ people- fall down stairs." Jess crossed her arms.

"You _hate_ lifts!"

"_Why_ are you complaining? You always want to go in the lifts! You can never be bothered to walk!" Mia paused for a second, opened her mouth, closed it, and then went to speak.

"Good point," she replied, making her way over to the grey doors and pushing the small 'up' button.

"Are you _sure_ you're ok?" Jess asked, as the door slid open.

"_Yes_, Jessica! I'm fine!" _or at least I will be when I can charm my head into feeling better… _she thought.

After a minute, the lift reached the first floor and the two women stepped out. "Bugger, I left the door open…" Jess muttered as they entered her flat.

"…How did you know I'd been run over?" Mia asked. Jess motioned to her window, where one curtain was closed and the other wide open.

"I was closing the curtains and saw you run out to the middle of the road," she explained, "why're you here, anyway?"

Groaning, Mia sank down onto Jess' battered sofa, and held her head in her hands. "Can you get me some ice?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," her cousin replied, almost instantly, "gimme a sec."

As soon as Jess left the small living room, Mia pulled her wand out and tapped the back of her head, muttering a spell. Slowly, the pain and throbbing began to recede to just off the centre of her skull- obviously where she had collided with the concrete. Finally, all she could feel was a faint ache.

Jess came back in just as Mia shoved her wand back between her waistband, and handed her a fistful of ice wrapped in a towel. Mia slapped it on the back of her head and shivered as Jess sat down next to her.

"So why're you here?" she asked.

"Oh, um," Mia flustered, "I had a… fight… with my boyfriend," she replied. Jess nodded.

"George, right? He's ginger, right?" Mia blinked heavily, and just stared at her cousin.

"Yeah." She replied simply.

"Big fight?"

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't be here," Mia replied, shifting the icepack.

"Good point," Jess said, "You want me to set the mattress up?" she asked. Mia sighed.

"Yeah… I'll probably leave tomorrow or the day after, I just… needed to get out…" Jess let out a short laugh as she stood up.

"You must've been _really_ mad of you came from the _complete other_ side of London. I feel sorry for him- George. I'd recommend staying a week if you don't want to kill him." Mia just quirked a smile in response. It hadn't exactly been hard to get there. Not that Jess needed to know that.

Her cousin left to set up the mattress she kept under her own bed for when visitors (mainly Mia, or a couple of Jess' friends) stayed the night.

Mia sighed, chucking the icepack onto the coffee table in front of her, and closed her eyes, rubbing her temple.

* * *

Meanwhile, the entire Weasley family had congregated in Muriel's kitchen, after either hearing Mia shouting, or being woken up.

"What do you _mean_ she left?" Fred yelled, in panic.

"What do you think I mean?" George replied, "she ran through that door, beyond the borders, and Disapparated!"

"Now, boys," Arthur said softly, "just calm down-"

"Yes," Muriel said loftily, "I'm one hundred and seven years old; I shouldn't even be awake at this time! Let alone have two boys yelling their heads off!" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Now," Molly said, once Muriel had finished, "she can't have gone far-"

"Mum," Ginny cut off, "she _Disapparated_! She could've gone _anywhere_!" Molly closed her eyes briefly.

"You're not helping, Ginny," Fred muttered, flatly.

"Do you have any idea where she might've gone?" Arthur asked, looking at his two sons. George ran his hands over his face as Fred shook his head.

"Not at the moment, no," George replied.

Everyone fell silent for a minute. They were all too tired to think properly.

"Why… why don't we think about this in the morning?" Molly asked, weakly. George looked up at her.

"What if," Ginny started, "what if by then-"

"She'll be fine," Fred cut in, "She's smart… kinda. She's gunna of gone somewhere safe. She'll be fine until morning, at least."

"Yes, yes," Muriel snapped, "if we're all happy with that, I'll be getting back to bed. Goodnight," she turned and left the kitchen. The Weasley's watched as she walked out of the room.

"We have to look for her," George said, turning to his father.

"And we will," Arthur replied, "but you said it yourself, we have no idea where she went. We'll sleep on it, and see if we have any ideas in the morning."

"But-"

"George," Arthur cut him off, softly, "you said it yourself; you don't know where she's gone. We might as well sleep on it, and come up with ideas in the morning."

There was a pause.

"Ginny, go back to bed," Molly told her daughter.

"But-"

"Bed. Now." Ginny scurried out of the kitchen, to wait in her bedroom until she heard one of the twins come upstairs.

* * *

The next morning, Mia woke up to the sound of Jess cluttering around her tiny little kitchen, singing along to an upbeat Muggle song flowing out of the radio. She looked up at the clock that hung on the bedroom wall, seeing it was almost twelve pm.

She rolled off of the mattress and pushed herself off of the floor. She left the bedroom, and walked heavily into the dim, dull, yet exceptionally clean kitchen, where Jess had just thrown and a few sausages into the frying pan.

"Want some breakfast?" she asked, looking over her shoulder, "or… lunch, I should say," she grinned. Mia smiled at her sleepily.

"Awesome," she replied, running her fingers through her hair a few times, before pulling it back into a plait. Jess looked at her, still in the pyjama's she'd been wearing the previous night.

"You wanna borrow some clothes?" she asked.

"If you've got any that'll fit," Mia replied, seeing as Jess was at least half a head shorter then Mia.

"Gimme a sec," Jess replied, as she slid pasty her cousin and out of the room, "keep an eye on the sausages!" Mia rolled her eyes, and jerked the frying pan so the sausages rolled over.

Jess entered the kitchen again, and threw a pair of tracksuit bottoms, a (what seemed to be slightly too small) tank top, and thick cardigan over to her. "There ya go!"

"Cheers," Mia replied, catching them. She jogged back out of the kitchen, across the living room and back into the bedroom to get changed.

She was right; the tank top _was_ too small. The bottoms swung around her ankles, and the sleeves of the cardigan stopped halfway down her forearm, but she didn't mind.

"_Aw_, damn!" she heard Jess complain from the kitchen.

"What?" Mia replied, crossing the living room into the kitchen.

"We don't have any tomato sauce!" Jess said, moving things around in one of the cupboards.

"So?" Jess turned to look at her like she was absolutely crazy.

"You can't eat fried sausages without tomato sauce! You can't eat _any_ fried food without tomato sauce!"

"You want me to go get some?" Mia asked.

"Aw, yeah please!" Jess opened a draw and pulled out a small box. Opening the lid, she took out a few pound coins and passed them to Mia. "Shoes are by the door."

"See ya in a minute!" Mia said, as she made her way to the front door. She pulled on a pair of Jess's trainers, which were the only pair of Jess' clothing that fitted her, seeing as they had the same shoe-size.

She made her way down the stairs and pushed open the heavy doors. She'd completely forgotten about the Wizarding World. Or, at least, it had been pushed to the back of her mind. It just seemed like another week in the summer holidays with her cousin. She'd pretty much forgotten about Snatchers, and You-Know-Who, and the dangers of being a Muggle-Born…

* * *

The shopkeeper had looked at her strangely as she'd brought the tomato sauce. Mind you, it probably wasn't the weirdest thing he'd seen: some girl in too-small cloths that were better suited for lounging around the house than going own the shops. It was London, after all.

As she walked down a rather thin side-street, she noticed a group of four people walking towards her. Or, they were probably just walking down the street as well, and just happened to be walking towards her. She looked over them, and then stopped. She could see wands hanging from the hands of all four.

They noticed her stop, and all four of them looked at her. They were a different gang of Snatchers to the one that patrolled Diagon Alley, but they were just as intimidating. They seemed to notice her eyes fixed on their wands.

"You alright, there?" one of them, a tall man with a shaved head, called out. Her wide eyes grew in fear, and she didn't answer. The gang continued to walk towards her.

"What's wrong, love?" a rather muscley woman said. They were only a few yards away now. Coming to her senses, Mia's hands flew to her pockets, dropping the tomato sauce bottle in the process, to grab her wand. She didn't have it. Her face drained of colour.

She knew where it was. She could see it in her mind. Under her pillow. In Jess' bedroom. Where she'd hidden it the night before.

She saw the two others who hadn't spoken yet, another woman, this time stick-thin with stringy black hair, and a thin-skinned, thick-haired man, mutter something to each other. The thick-haired man nodded and the stick-thin woman grinned, showing shiny, straight teeth.

Mia started to back away, back down the road. The muscley woman jerked her wand up, and a stream of purple light flew towards her, skimmed across her shoulder, and caused a deep gash to slice across her skin. Yelling out in pain, Mia turned around and started to run, but she felt another spell slam into her back. Involuntary, she slowed down, so it must have been the Impediment Jinx.

When she finally got her speed back, the gang of Snatchers had finally caught up, and, just as she was about to dart away, one of them grabbed her shoulders, and jerked her back. Pain shot through the gash on her shoulder and down her arm.

"Now," she heard one of the women say in her ear, it must've been the muscley woman, because the stick-thin one was walking around into her line of sight, and her lips weren't moving, "what's your name?"

Mia swung her leg back, and whacked it into the woman's shin. She was pretty sure the woman only jumped back in surprise, and not because her kick hurt. Because with the size of that woman's muscles, there was probably hardly _anything_ that could hurt her.

The grip on Mia's shoulders loosened ever-so-slightly, and she flung herself to the side. She managed to dodge away from the muscley woman's grabbing arms, and started to run. She got about seven metres down the road, before someone slammed her against the wall.

"Not very smart," the muscley woman sneered.

"Now, now, Julia," the tall man with the shaved head muttered softly. Julia, whose name didn't seem to suit her at all, just pushed more weight onto Mia, causing sharp pains to continuously fly through her shoulder.

"You recon she's still at Hogwarts?" the tall man asked.

"Nah, she looks too old to still be at school," Julia replied, looking closely at her with eyes better suited on the face of a bloodhound, and not a woman.

"How old are you, girl?" the tall man asked. Mia kept her jaw clenched. Julia slammed her against the wall again.

"How. Old. Are. You?" she sneered.

"Twenty." Mia replied, simply.

"And what's your name?" Mia shifted through her mind, trying to think of a name.

"Deborah. Ricci," she said, pulling out the name of her friend at St Mungo's. The Snatchers seemed to notice her pause.

"No you're not." The stick-thin woman said softly. Mia swallowed, but held her head up, looking at each of them.

"Wait a sec… I think I recognise her…" Mia licked her lips as her stomach dropped. The thick-haired man took a step forward, and Mia looked at his face closely. Come to think of it, he did look rather familiar…

"She's a Healer… at St Mungo's," he said. Mia licked her lips again. "Healer…. Healer…" he struggled to try and remember her name, "Healer _Homing_!" her breath hitched and her wide eyes grew circular.

"How d'ya know that, Ben?" the stick-thin woman asked, crossing her arms. Ben looked at Mia, smiling.

"Don't you remember?" he asked, "I was stung by a Punctum around November last year. You were a pretty good Healer, as well. Never made a mistake… always got the right potions… you made me stay in that ward for a week and then forced me to walk around the hallways before you let me go home."  
"I don't remember all of my patients!" Mia hissed. But in truth, she _did_ remember him. Ben Porter, the man who had been paralysed for just under a week because the Punctum poison had spread up his legs.

"Is she a Mudblood?" Julia asked. Mia clenched her fists, but let her fingers fall loose when the action seemed to cause pain to shoot up her arm.

"I dunno," Ben shrugged, "look her up, Lou!" the stick-thin woman, apparently called Lou, pulled a long piece of parchment out of her pocket, and looked down it.

"Homing, Homing, Homing… Mia Homing!" she grinned and looked up, as the colour drained from Mia's face, "and, _oh_, look what's next to the name!" Lou flipped the parchment over and showed the tall man.

"Mia Homing," he muttered, "Known member of the Order of the Phoenix!" he grinned manically.

"Recon we'll get a few extra Galleons for the, eh?" Julia laughed.

"Let's get her to the Ministry, then!" Ben said.

"NO!-" Mia yelled, and went to throw herself away, but Julia had already Disapparated, taking Mia with her.

**I think I'm getting the hang of these cliff-hangers :)**

**So… will Mia escape from the Ministry? Will the Weasley's realise where she is? What will happen to Jess? You'll just have to wait 'til your next chapter…**

**Please Review!**


	15. Searching

**Hey! Here's another chapter for ya**

**Thanks to: vixen519, MarianneP, quidditchandsonicscrewdrivers, Lobo de Fuego, The Converse Queen and Amanda for reviewing. You guys are immense**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Do own Mia Homing. Simple**

Chapter 15: Searching

Back at Muriel's, around midday, everyone, apart from Muriel, was sitting around the dining table.

"Has anyone got any ideas then?" Molly asked.

"Her parents," George said. Fred nodded.

"Possibly the flat," Fred suggested, and George shrugged.

"Hogsmeade?" Ginny put in.

"Nah, she's not that stupid," Fred replied. They all sat in silence for a minute.

"No more ideas," Fred muttered.

"Right," Arthur said, "Who wants to go where, then?"

"I'll go to the flat," George said. Fred glanced at him.

"Guess I'll be going to her parents, then," he said.

"I wanna go to!" Ginny piped up, and moving as if to stand up.

"No," Molly said sharply, looking at her daughter.

"But-"

"You're not going with them, Ginny," Molly told her. Ginny sighed and slumped in her chair again. Fred and George stood up, as well as Arthur.

"George, I'll go with you," he said, "we don't know how many Death Eaters are swarming around, but they're more likely to be in Diagon Alley than in an ordinary Muggle town. You know where her parents live, Fred?"

"Yep," Fred nodded.

"We'll be back soon," Arthur told his wife. Molly nodded and placed a hand on Ginny's shoulder to stop her from standing up. Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but Arthur shook his head slightly.

The three of them left the house, crossed the safety boundaries, and, after saying a brief 'goodbye' and 'good luck', Disapparated.

* * *

Arthur and George appeared in a small side street in Diagon Alley, just a five minute walk away from the shop.

Walking softly and quietly (so as to not alert anybody close by to their presence, and also so they could hear if anyone was approaching), and with their wands held up high, the two of them made their way towards Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

When the shop came into view, both George and Arthur stopped. They had only been gone about a week, and it seemed as if someone had already decided to search the shop. Possibly more then one person.

The door had been blown off its hinges, and one of the windows was shattered, the other cracked horribly. Upon carefully entering the shop, they saw that some of the shelves had been pushed to the floor, its contents scattered everywhere. The door behind the till, that led up to the flat, had been blast open as well.

George felt his stomach drop, and his mouth become dry. The chance of Mia being here was becoming smaller and smaller by the half-second.

"We might as well check upstairs," Arthur told his son softly. Nodding, George made his way around the till, and up the stairs.

The next door, at the top of the flight, had not been opened by brutal magic. It was not disconnected from the hinges, or even flung wide open. In fact, it was only open enough from one person to slide through. Pushing the door open more, George entered the flat, with his father following close behind.

The small, awkwardly placed table had been turned over, and now laid top-down in the middle of the kitchen. The doors that led to the two bedrooms and the bathroom were open, as were the doors to the few cabinets placed around the living room. Their contents (consisting of old Healing ingredients, and things Fred and George had used in shop products) were spread carelessly around the room.

Arthur and George looked at each other. There was absolutely no way she would be here. That didn't stop George from calling out her name, though. As suspected, there was no answer. They still looked in each of the rooms, but there was no evidence anyone but the people had searched the flat had been there.

George looked at his father with a dejected, helpless look on his face, and Arthur smiled sadly at his son.

"You don't know where else she might be?" Arthur asked. George shook his head. He guessed they _could_ always check Hogsmeade, like Ginny had suggested. But that would be a suicide mission. Who knew what kinds of defences Snape and the Death Eaters had set up there, in case Harry decided to go back to Hogwarts (_why_ Harry would want to go back to Hogwarts, George didn't know, but it was always plausible).

No, Mia wasn't stupid. Even in her annoyed state, she would have been thinking enough to not go anywhere near Hogwarts.

And he couldn't think of anywhere else.

"No," George said, "I don't…"

"We'll go back to Muriel's then," Arthur said, "there's no point hanging around. Don't know whose gunna turned up."

"No. Ya don't." A loud, brash, female voice said. Whipping around, pulling their wand out, they spotted a small, blonde woman, smirking, with a wand held to George's chest. Behind her was a tall man with knotted dark hair, with his wand pointed at , with h, with h

"We knew someone'd turn up soon," the blonde woman said. George recognised both of them. They were Snatchers. Ones Mia had frequently run into when walking around Diagon Alley. Mia had said they're names were Sara and Marcus.

Sara smiled sweetly at them, before flicking her wand and sending a sparking purple stream of light towards George. Deflecting it just in time, he shot a stunning spell her way. Arthur managed to dodge a spell sent by Marcus, and then swished his wand, sending Marcus falling back down the stairs.

Yelling in rage, Sara yelled "_Reducto_!" Both George and Arthur dived out of the way, and the spell hit the wall behind them, causing a large crack to climb up to the ceiling.

"Impedimenta!" George yelled, and Sara slowed down. He felt someone clasp onto his shoulder, and then his was being twisted into blackness.

The next thing he knew, he and Arthur were standing as close to Muriel's house as they could be without crossing the magical boundaries.

* * *

Fred turned up in the middle of a road, facing Mia's parents' house. Walking over to the pavement, her peered through the window, and saw the back of a woman (obviously Mia's mother) leaving the room.

He knocked on the front door, and waited for a minute. Finally, the door opened and Mrs Homing looked at him with a polite, yet slightly confused expression.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Um, hi," Fred said, slightly awkwardly, "I'm Fred Weasley," he stuck out his hand, "I'm a friend of your daughter's…" recognition spread over Mrs Homing's face as she shook his hand.

"Of course. Mia's said quite a lot of stuff about and your family," she said, dropping his hand, "…why are you here?" Fred stared at her for a second, dread settling in the pit of his stomach.

"Mia's not here, is she?" he asked, defeated. Confusion slid over Mrs Homing's face again.

"No," she replied, "why would she be?" Fred closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. "Mr Weasley?" Mrs Homing asked.

Fred debated for a second. He couldn't exactly tell her that her daughter was missing, and that he had no idea whatsoever where she was. He couldn't tell her that there was a chance her daughter could be practically kidnapped, tried and thrown in prison for something that she had absolutely no control over.

"What's wrong with my daughter?" Mrs Homing said, suddenly sounding panicked.

"Nothing!" Fred replied, automatically.

"Then why are you looking for her?" Fred stared at the woman, trying to come up with an explanation. "What's wrong with my daughter?" He couldn't find one.

So he told her. Of course, he left out the part that Mia could possibly be kidnapped, tried and thrown in prison for something that she had absolutely no control over. No, he just told her that Mia and George had had a fight, and that Mia had left angrily.

"Oh," Mrs Homing said, seemingly much less panicked. "well, if she's anywhere, she'll be at Jess'."

"… Her cousin's?" Fred asked, remembering all the times Mia had mentioned her in passing.

"Yeah," Mrs Homing replied, "hang on; I'll get you the address." She disappeared for a second, and Fred sighed in relief, running a hand through his hair. Mrs Homing reappeared and held out a piece of paper.

"There ya go," she said, "give us a call when you find her," A confused look appeared on Fred's face, "oh no, wait," Mrs Homing laughed, "you don't use phones, do you? ok then, send us an _owl_." She smiled as Fred nodded.

"Thank you," he said.

"No problem! Bye, then," She closed the door, and Fred looked down to the address for a second, before Disapparating.

* * *

After appearing outside a rather shabby looking tower of flats, entering, looking at the lifts weirdly, and climbing a flight pf stairs, he knocked on the door with a brass number _7_ nailed to the front. A short woman with choppy black hair and very familiar wide, brown eyes answered the door. Jess squinted up at him.

"George Weasley?" she asked. Fred raised his eyebrows.

"Uh, no. I'm Fred… his twin brother…" he replied.

"Oh!" Jess said, "Sorry. I just assumed 'cause of the ginger hair and the freckles and stuff…" she gestured vaguely with her hand. "I'm guessing you're here looking for Mia, right?" Fred nodded. "yeah, she just left to get some tomato sauce for us. We're having fried sausages so we kinda need it. You wanna come in?"

"Uh, sure," Fred replied, deciding it was better not to ask why someone _needed_ tomato sauce with fried sausages.

"She should be back in about five minutes; the shop ain't that far away," Jess told him, "I've got a bag of Mia's clothes in the other room if you want them."

"Uh, yeah please," Fred said, looking at the door she pointed too.

"Great, they're in there. Would you mind getting them? I have to look after the sausages."

"No problem…" he entered what was obviously her bedroom and had to step over a mattress on the floor to get a bag with the word _Tesco_ written across it in bold red letters.

After picking it up, he stepped over the mattress again and accidentally kicked the pillow. Looking down, he saw a wand fall onto the floor. As he picked it up, a feeling of cold alarm filled him. Mia's wand. Slowly, he walked out of the bedroom.

"Hey," Jess called from the kitchen, "do you want any sausages? I've got some left over…"

"Uh…" Jess seemed to take that as a yes.

"Great! 'Cause they ain't gunna get eaten any time soon!" He heard her open what was, obviously, a packet of sausages.

Dropping the bag of clothes, he sprinted towards the door and left the flat. Down the corridor, down the stairs out of the building. Down a road, around a corner. Dodge a few cars and stop for something zooming loudly past him. Push past a couple of people and around another corner.

Time slowed down.

He saw five people. Two men and three women. One very muscley woman hand another smaller, skinnier woman pressed up against the wall. and there was a bottle of tomato sauce lying discarded just feet away from him.

"Let's get her to the Ministry, then!" one of the men said.

"NO!" he heard Mia yell. He started to run forwards, but before he even took his first step, they were gone.

**Ok, ok, ok… I **_**know**_** you all wanted to find out what happened to Mia, **_**but**_** you also wanted to know whether they would find out where she was. Plus, if I put what happened to Mia in this chapter, it would've been **_**way**_** to long. So I've got a chapter here of Fred and George, and the **_**next**_** one will be of what happened to Mia, I promise :)**

**Please Review!**


	16. The Ministry of Magic

**Hiya! Another chapter for you!**

**Thanks to: vixen519, xXChlerekXx, rowellylovesgryffindor, michness, Lobo de Fuego, quidditchandsonicscrewdrivers, Amanda, MarianneP, The Converse Queen and AnimatedAbbie. I mean, 100 reviews? Seriously guys. I love you.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything to do with Harry Potter. Do own Mia**

**Well, here's the chapter you've all been wanting to see! The one where you find out what happened to Mia. So, without further ado…**

Chapter 16: The Ministry of Magic

For the split second during the Apparition, Mia felt a mixture of being completely shell-shocked, angry, annoyed at herself, and helpless. So many times she had evaded the Snatchers. _So many_ times she had _just_ escaped. And now she was caught.

Then they appeared in an alleyway, between to shops, in the centre of London. Now that she was no longer pressed against a wall, Mia tried to throw herself out of Julia's large hands, but no suck luck. Julia just slammed her back into the wall.

"Now, now," said Ben, "I'm sure they'd like her conscious when they interrogate her." While he was saying this, Lou had walked to the end of the alleyway and peered around the corner. She looked back at them and nodded.

"Let's go," Julia sneered. She lurched Mia away from the wall and pushed Mia forward, then grabbed into the back of her shirt, so she couldn't run away.

But she still tried. She nearly cut off her air supply trying wrench away. People on the street stared and gaped at them, but she paid them no mind. "_Stun her!_" she heard someone hiss.

Mia felt a spell slam into her shoulder blades, and then she fell into blackness.

* * *

"Most degrading thing I've ever had to do in my life! Carry a Mudblood! We'd better get a good amount of gold for her!"

"Calm down, Julia. We will."

"Where _are _those idiots?"

"Obviously the line in the men's is longer!"

Slowly, Mia came too. She realised that she was slumped against a cold, hard wall. she could hear people walking past, and the chatter of conversation. As her eyes finally opened, she saw a large, open, dark room. in the middle of it, she could see what seemed to be a statue of a witch and wizard sitting on oddly pattered thrones. There were words at the base of the statue, reading _Magic is Might_.

Two people stumbled out of a fire place next to her.

"About _time_!"

Mia jumped off of the floor, and bounded away. To where, she didn't really know. Just trying to get away from the Snatchers.

For what must have been the hundredth time that day, she was caught again. Julia dug her short fingernails into the Mia's arm. She seemed to tear the already ripped skin apart even more, causing more blood to fall out of the wound, and more pain to shoot through it.

"You're dead now," Julia mocked into Mia's ear, "Ministry of Magic. Everywhere you go, there will be someone to drag you all the way back." They started marching her towards a desk at the side of the atrium, where there were two, intimidating wizards. They stood up straighter when they saw Mia and the group of Snatchers approach.

"Gotta Mudblood here for Dolores to interrogate," Ben told him, gesturing to Mia.

_Dolores?_ She thought, _as in… Dolores __Umbridge__?_ She hoped not. Her old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was one of the worst women Mia had ever met. And she's hoped that the day she'd witnessed Umbridge run out of Hogwarts by Peeves, would have been the last time she'd ever see the toad-like teacher.

A nasty grin spread across one of the wizards face. "where's her wand then?" he asked. Mia licked her lips as Ben shrugged.

"Don't think she's got it," he replied, "she never used it to try and get away."

"Search her," the other wizard said.

Julia tore the too-small, blood-covered cardigan, and threw it to Lou, who checked in the couple of pockets. After searching her, and finding the only thing on her person was a receipt for the tomato sauce she'd bought not an hour earlier (although it seemed years away), they concluded that she didn't have her wand.

"What's her name?" one of the wizards asked, as Julia re-grasped Mia's arms.

"Mia Homing," Ben said, proudly, "look down the list. She's a member of the Order of the Phoenix. So, uh, we'll be wanting paying extra for that."

One of the desk-wizards scanned down a long piece of parchment. He nodded, then ducked under the desk and retrieved a small brown bag. He dropped it into Ben's hand. Opening it, Ben eyed its contents, then coughed and held out his free hand expectantly.

"Member of the Order of the Phoenix, I said."

The desk-wizard pulled out several golden Galleons, and dropped then into Ben's hand. Grinning, he pocketed them.

"Alert Dolores," one of the desk-wizards told the other.

"We'll take her down to the courtrooms," Lou said.

Julia forced Mia to turn, and pushed her so she stumbled forward. They crossed the atrium, and Mia noticed people move out of their way. Some of then had looks of disgust on their face. Others had looks of pity. And the rest had hardly any emotion at all.

The Snatchers shoved Mia into a golden lift. After slamming into the back wall, she whirled around, her fists clenched and her jaw set, but Julia had her wand pointed at Mia's chest.

She wished she had her wand. She wish she hadn't left it under her pillow at Jess', so she could have cursed and jinxed them down to Hell.

The lift dropped. And dropped. And dropped. If it had been any other situation, Mia would have started wondering whether they would ever stop.

Finally, though, the lift jolted to a stop and the doors slid open, revealing a long, torch-lit hallway. Julia pulled Mia away from the back of the lift, roughly, and pushed her out into the cold hallway. She was pushed through a doorway, and down a few steps of a flight of stairs.

"Get down there," Julia hissed, purposely placing her hand over the bleeding gash in Mia's shoulder, and causing pain (which seemed to have subdued a bit a while ago) to spasm along her arm. Mia made sure she didn't stagger once on the stairs, trying to keep what little of her dignity she had left.

The further down the stairs they went, the colder, and colder it got.

"Merlin, I hate those bloody Dementors," Lou complained, rubbing her arms.

It felt as if a very heavy bowling ball had just been dropped down into Mia's stomach. _Dementors?_ I mean, sure, she could do a Patronus. But she kind of needed to have a wand to do that.

Fog started to swirl around them. Mia started to feel misery and desperation filling up inside her, almost too much for her to contain. She was done for. She wasn't going to get out of this. Within twelve hours, she would be locked up in a cell in Azkaban, with every other Muggle-Born found 'guilty' with her.

She was done for.

As they rounded a corner, Mia saw them. Two, terrifying, cloaked figures, floating around a large wooden door.

"Why've they gotta keep two of 'em down here, eh?" Lou asked.

"For occasions such as these," she could almost picture Ben gesturing to her, "sit her down on that bench over there," he said.

Julia jerked her over to a grotty, hard wooden bench, and forced her to sit down.

"Dolores'll be down soon," Ben said, "if she tries to run, they'll," he pointed to the Dementors, "give her the Dementor's Kiss." Mia looked up at the hooded figures with fear in her wide eyes.

As the group of Snatchers turned to go, Julia shoved Mia, back, hard, so her back and head slammed into the solid wall. Trying to give escape one last try, Mia flung herself off of the bench, and collided with Julia's back.

Unseen and unheard by everyone in the hallway, Julia's wand fell to the floor and rolled away.

Ben shot a blast of reddish-purple light from the end of his wand, sending Mia flying back and crashing onto the floor. Groaning in pain, she watched the group of Snatchers leave.

Standing up, gingerly, Mia went to sit back on her bench, but Julia's wand caught her eye. Her eyes widened, and, looking around quickly, skidded over to pick it up.

Shivering, she noticed one of the Dementors was gliding towards her. Horror flickered over her face, and she leaped back to her bench. Sieving through her mind, she tried to find a happy memory. It was hard though. Much harder then when she'd practiced in the Room of Requirement a couple of years ago.

"_Expecto Patronum_," she whispered, flicking the wand with shaking hands.

Nothing happened.

"_Expecto Patronum_," she muttered, a little bit louder.

Still, nothing happened.

Closing her eyes, she tried to remember everything Harry had taught them during that Dumbledore's Army lesson. She tried to remember every single little detail.

There was Harry, going on about how you needed a _really happy memory_. And him showing off his stag. There was Luna Lovegood with her hare, and Cho Chang with her swan. There was her finally succeeding, and Fred sulking because she'd doe it before him. Then there was that little House-Elf Dobby running in to tell them that-

_No_, she thought, _it gets bad after that… don't think about it…_

She went back to thinking of happy memories.

"_Expecto Patronum_."

A silver wisp of smoke. She felt a small bubble of happiness well up inside of her.

"_Expecto Patronum_."

Another wisp of smoke.

"_Expecto Patronum!_"

A silver hawk soared up to the ceiling, and Mia felt a wave of warmth flood over her. The hawk flew back down the bench and landed next to her, seemingly glaring at the Dementors.

"Stay here," she told it, barely whispering. The hawk ruffled its wings, but stayed on the bench.

Mia placed her head in her hands and gripped her scalp. Licking her lips, she racked her brains. She needed to get out of here. She needed to think of a way to get through an entire building of wizards, most of whom would gladly turn her in if she was caught. It wasn't exactly as if she could blend in, either. Anybody would notice a woman in too small clothes and a blood-drenched arm.

She could use a Disillusionment Charm. She'd have to be careful and make sure nobody touched her as she moved, but it was an idea.

But then, how did she get _out_ of the Ministry? She had no idea how they'd gotten _in_! She'd been unconscious!

Before her train of thought could go any further, she heard footsteps. For a moment, she froze. There were several pairs of footsteps. Flicking the wand, the hawk evaporated into wisps of swirling smoke. Mia slid the wand into the pocket of her tracksuits, and let her head fall into her hands again.

She only looked up when she saw a pair of pointy pink shoes.

Standing above her was a woman dressed all in pink, brown curls, and a face like a toad, stretched into a nasty, hostile grin.

"Miss Homing," said Dolores Umbridge, in her unusually high-pitched voice, "what a surprise to see you again."

"You know her, Dolores?" said the man standing beside her, who Mia recognized as Yaxley.

"She was one of the students at Hogwarts when I taught," Umbridge replied, "Disrespectful little thing."

"No doubt because of her blood-status."

Mia's jaw set, and she sat up a little straighter. She noticed a tiny little witch, clutching parchment and a quill to her chest, looking fearful. Mia caught her eye, and pity seemed to flick across her face, before looking at Umbridge and Yaxley, timidly again.

"Yes," Umbridge said, "now, shall we get this started?" Umbridge and Yaxley strode though the door at the end of the corridor, whereas the tiny little witch just kind of scuttled behind them.

Mia had no choice but to follow, or be run over by the two Dementors. Standing up quickly, she licked her lips and walked into the room.

It was a high-ceilinged circular room, with a chained chair in the middle, and seats around the edge. Umbridge and her two assistants had already say barrier. And there was already a cat-shaped Patronus patrolling around them.

"Sit down," Umbridge told her softly, gesturing to the chair. Mia hesitated, but the Dementors were gliding through the door. She walked slowly over to the chair, and sat down. As soon as she touched the chair, the chains swung themselves up and around, and bound her to the chair. Instinctively, she pulled her hands away instantly, but the chains didn't allow any movement at all. She looked back up, to see Umbridge and Yaxley smiling horribly. The tiny little witch was staying hidden in the shadows.

Umbridge held out a hand, and the tiny little witch handed her a piece of parchment. "You're name is Mia Tonya Homing, yes?"

"You already knew that," Mia replied, her voice shaking ever-so-slightly. Umbridge just glared.

"Current residence-"

Mia's stomach clenched. Did they know where she had been? Did they know the Weasley's were at Muriel's?

"-Unknown." Mia allowed herself the smallest sigh of relief. "Previous residence: Ninety-three, Diagon Alley. Also known as," Umbridge seemed to grit her teeth, "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes."

Mia smirked, noticing the look of hatred on the toad's face. Umbridge composed herself.

"You had no wand when you arrived."

"No," Mia said, "I didn't."

"Can you describe your wand for me?" Umbridge asked. Mia raised her eyebrows, and licked her lips.

Breathing out shakily, she said, "Mahogany. Dragon heart-string core. Ten and a quarter inches."

"_Wrong_!" Umbridge sang. Mia licked her lips. That _was_ her wand. Unless it was ten and _three_ quarter inches… she'd never really remember its exact length.

"How is it wrong?" Mia asked. Umbridge smiled sweetly.

"Because that is not your wand."

"How is it not my wand?" Mia cried, trying to stand up. The chains dug into her chest painfully, and she fell back.

"Because only witches and wizards are given wands." Umbridge stated dangerously, "what witch or wizard did you steal this wand from?" Mia looked at her, aghast.

"St-stole?" she spluttered, "I didn't _steal_ it from anyone! I bought it at Ollivander's!"

"But you didn't, because wands are only given to true witches and wizards-"

"Oh, so you think that an _eleven-year-old girl_ stolen something form a _fully grown witch or wizard_?" Mia shrieked.

"Mudbloods are capable of many horrifying and destructive things," Yaxley said, speaking for the first time. Mia tried to launch herself at him, but the chains pulled her back, tightening painfully.

"Now," Umbridge said, almost happily, looking down her sheet of parchment, "You are also a member of the Order of the Phoenix, correct?"

"Correct." Umbridge smiled and gave one of her little fake, high laughs.

"Well, I think that she's been found guilty-"

"GUILTY OF WHAT?" Mia yelled, fighting against the chains, witch just kept getting tighter and tighter, until she was almost suffocating.

"You see," Murmured Yaxley, this is exactly the kind of behavior we are protecting everybody against."

"Yes," Umbridge said, handing the parchment back to the tiny little witch. "Take her away."

The chains fell away from Mia, and she sucked in a deep, shaky breath. Licking her lips, she saw the Dementors swoop down behind her. The door swung open and they guided her through it and down the corridor.

The Dementors brought depressing thoughts to her mind. This was it. She was going to Azkaban. She was never going to see George, or Fred, or any of the Weasley's again. She was-

_NO! You'll be ok. You'll be able to get through this. Just think… Expecto Patronum… the__Disillusionment Charm … build on that…_

She forced herself to think of that. Forcibly, she flooded her mind with happy memories. Every single happy memory she had.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" The hawk flew from her wand and instantly dived at one of the Dementors. Immediately, she tapped the wand against her head, and felt the sensation of egg dripping down her head.

"_Where did she go?_" She heard Yaxley yell.

Mia flew down the corridor. She could hear her feet slapping against the floor, and Umbridge and Yaxley running after her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her hawk soar down beside her, before dissolving. She reached the end of the corridor and bound up the stairs, two at time. She fumbled with the door, but finally, she fell into the torch lit hallway, and slammed the door close behind her. By the time she was halfway down the corridor, she was panting, and she had a stitch in her side, but she didn't slow down.

Finally, she was in one of the golden lifts. She could see Yaxley sprinting towards it, but the grill slid close before he reached her. She breathed out in relief as Yaxley made a noise of frustration.

The lift started to rise, and Mia bent over, trying to get her breath back. Where could she go? She still didn't know how to get out of the Ministry.

_Maybe I didn't think this through…_

But she hadn't enough _time_ to think it through! She licked her lips and fell onto the floor, slumped against the wall.

As the lift rose, several people got in. She had to stand up again, and press herself into the darkest corner (which really wasn't very dark at all). The Disillusionment Charm didn't make you _completely_ invisible.

"Apparently there's a Muggle-Born loose somewhere around here," the grey-haired wizard said. Mia felt her stomach drop.

"Poor thing," the blonde which said, "I do think they take these trials a bit too far-"

"_Shh_! don't let anyone hear you saying that!" And they got out on the next floor.

But Mia felt a bubble of hope well up inside of her. She knew where to go. She knew who could help her.

"_Well, obviously now that everyone knows that You-Know-Who's back, their all being extra careful about who they hire," Angelina rolled her eyes, "real pain in the ass. I mean, I get that they don't want Death Eaters working for 'em and all, but, c'mon, do I look like a Death Eater?" Mia shook her head, and Angelina carried on, "so my mum asked one of the women she works with at the Ministry if she could take me on, just as an assistant slash secretary type thing. At least until I can get a proper job."_

The conversation Mia had had with Angelina Johnson, over a year ago, came back to her. Angelina had never mentioned ending up with a 'proper' job. Mia prayed she still worked for her mother's friend.

_Lets see_, Mia thought, _her mum works in the Department of Magical Transportation…_ that meant that her friend must work there too. Mia hoped.

Finally, the lift stopped on the sixth level, and the voice that had been announcing the floors said, "Level six. Department of Magical Transportation."

Mia waited for a tall woman to leave the lift, before sliding out of it herself. Keeping herself pressed against the wall, she made her way silently down the corridor. Every time someone passed to close, she stopped and sucked in a breath. Every time someone mentioned the 'Rouge Mudblood', she ducked and went in the opposite direction, completely away from that person. Every time someone was talking about other people, she walked closer and strained her ears, hoping to hear Angelina's name.

Just when she was giving up hope, Mia saw her. Angelina was walking towards an office, dressed smartly, and looking through a folder. Angelina entered the office, and closed the door.

Praying that she was the only one in there, Mia knocked on the door. It opened and Angelina looked out, confused. Mia slid in, careful not to touch her and startle her. Huffing, Angelina closed the door and Mia looked around, relieved to see that there was no one else in there.

She lifted the Disillusionment Charm. Angelina turned around and screamed.

"_Shhhh_!" Mia said panicked. Angelina stared at her, with wide eyes, taking in her too-small clothes and the blood on her arm.

"Mia…" she said, faintly, "_you're_ the Muggle-Born running around this place?" Mia nodded.

"I need to get out, Angie," She said, "_please_ help me!"

Angelina paused, and for a terrible second, Mia thought she was going to refuse. But then a small, nervous smile spread across her face.

"Of course," she said.

"Thank you!" Mia relied.

Suddenly, there was the sound of two people talking, directly behind the door. Angelina shot Mia a panicked look, and Mia tapped her head again.

By the time the door opened a second later, Mia was already invisible. Mia moved silently to a corner as Angelina spoke to the thin, hollow-cheeked witch that had entered.

"I have the files for you, Beatrice," she said, holding out the folder she had been looking through.

"Thank you, Miss Johnson," Beatrice said, "would you mind finding Benjamin Polter, and telling that I need to speak with him?"

Angelina nodded, and, not knowing that Mia had moved, sent a nervous glance to where she had been earlier, before leaving the room.

She returned fifteen minutes later, followed by a young man. Benjamin and Beatrice spoke for almost an hour, before they left.

"Don't become visible again," Angelina warned her. "…where are you?"

"Here," Mia called, from the corner she'd been sitting in for the past hour, and Angelina looked to the spot just above her head.

"Right, stay there. When my shift ends, I'll take you back up to London." Mia smiled, even though Angelina couldn't see her.

"Thanks, Angie." Angelina smiled.

"Don't worry."

* * *

Angelina's shift didn't end for another three hours. And during those three hours, Mia could do nothing but sit, hunched and curled into a ball, in the corner.

Finally, Angelina announced she was going home.

"Very well," Beatrice said, "I'll se you tomorrow."  
Angelina nodded and made her way to the door. Mia stood up, her back popping and joints clicking, and walked as quickly, but as quietly as she could towards the door. She managed to get out just before Angelina closed it.

"Mia?" she asked, barely moving her lips.

"Here," Mia breathed. Angelina nodded and started down the corridor, with Mia trailing close behind.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in the lifts, they stepped out into the atrium. Mia followed her across to one of the fireplaces.

"Grab onto my arm," Angelina muttered. Mia complied, and stepped into the fire with her.

There was an odd feeling of shoot upwards, and then they finally flew out of… a toilet. Mia stared around at the cubicle they were squashed into.

"C'mon." Angelina led her out of the toilets up the stairs, down a busy London street and finally into a dim alley way. Mia finally lifted the Disillusionment Charm, and then flung her arms around Angelina.

"_Thank you!_" she told her.

"No problem," Angelina told her, hugging her back, "hey, where's Fred and George and everyone?"

Mia pulled back and sighed. "In hiding, I can't really say where… I'm not Secret-Keeper." Angelina nodded, understandingly.

"'Course, don't worry 'bout it."

Thank you, again."

"_Don't worry_!" Angelina said, with a smile.

"Bye," Mia said. Angelina nodded, and Mia raised the Snatcher's wand, and Disapparated.

**Well, I hope that lived up to your expectations**** :)**

**Please Review!**


	17. Lupin's News

**Hey! Hope you're all ok!**

**Thanks to: Musical FANtasy, Amanda, Lobo de Fuego, quidditchandafirebolt, AnimatedAbby, MarianneP, harryandginny1994, DarkPhoenixLives and LittleMagpie. You guys are Totally Awesome**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter; do own Mia, blah, blah, blah**

**Anyways, this is basically my chapter of fluff and happy before I get into the Battle of Hogwarts chapters**

Chapter 17: Lupin's News

Going back to Jess' would have been either really smart, or really stupid. Really smart, because jess would probably be beside herself with worry. It should have only taken Mia ten minutes to get the tomato sauce. Fifteen at the most. Instead, she'd been gone hours. The sun was already setting. Also, she could've picked up her wand.

It would have been really stupid because… well, because of what had just happened.

In the end, she decided not to go back, and ended up just outside the protective barriers, outside Muriel's house. She trudged across the front garden, and banged her fist against the front door.

"Hello?" She called out, "It's me! Mia!"

The door flung open to reveal Molly, Ginny and Fred.

"Oh!" Molly cried, flinging her arms around Mia, and pulling her down into an almost suffocating hug. "You're safe!"

"Mia…" Fred breathed… "DAD! GEORGE!" he then bellowed, "SHE REALLY IS HERE!"

It was only a second before George came dashing out of the kitchen, Arthur a few steps behind him.

Finally, Molly let go of Mia, and George pushed his way to the front. He looked over her, taking in the too-small clothes and blood-stained arm. Mia smiled up at him.

"You're safe…" he muttered.

"Uh-huh," she replied.

"But how… Fred said… but…" he trailed off, and finally pulled her into an embrace.

Finally, after a few minutes, Mia had been greeted by everyone in the hall. And after pulling away from Ginny, she looked around at the Weasley's.

"Here," Fred said, holding something out towards her. She looked down at her wand.

"How…?" she asked.

"Why don't we all go into the kitchen and sit down, hm?" Molly suggested.

As soon as Mia sat down in one of the chairs, Molly placed a cup of steaming, strong tea in front of her.

"Th-thanks…" Mia said, as she took a sip. Her wand was lying next to her on the table, and next to it, the Snatcher's wand.

"How did you get my wand?" Mia asked Fred.

He sighed before he started explaining. He told her that after they'd all woken up, George and Arthur went off to Diagon Alley, and he'd gone to her parents. He explained about how he had gone to Jess' and saw her cornered by the Snatchers, but it was too late to do anything.

"I'm sorry," he said, at that point. Mia just shook her head and gestured for him to carry on.

He then explained that after that, he'd returned straight to Muriel's.

"I had to wait a few minutes," He said, "but eventually, George and Dad turned up. I told them what happened, and then took Dad over to your cousins."

Arthur picked up where Fred left off, "there I calmed your cousin down, she was absolutely frantic," Arthur told Mia, "then I Obliviated her memories. She has no recollection that you were ever there."

Mia studied them for a minute. "I guess that's best," she said, with a sigh.

"Yes, now what happened to you?" Molly said, with an expression of worry, "how did you get this?" she pointed to the wound on Mia's shoulder.

Mia looked at it with a start. She'd completely forgotten about it. Picking up her own wand, she traced the tip of it along the gash, watching the skin knit together, hazardously.

"It'll scar," Mia muttered, more to herself, looking at the now long, pink line.

"I can't believe you're all getting battle scars before me," Fred said, almost annoyed.

"Why're you complaining?" Mia cried.

"Yeah, it's bloody painful!" George exclaimed.

"Alright, alright," Fred defending, "anyway," he looked at Mia, "you were caught by Snatchers! How'd you escape?"

She told them everything that had happened at the Ministry. Fred, George and Ginny growled when she mentioned Umbridge.

When she finished her story, they all sat around the table for a moment, in silence.

"Where's Muriel?" Mia suddenly asked.

"Moping about in the library, I s'pose," Fred replied, "probably complaining to herself about how much room we're taking up."

* * *

It was only about an hour later, when Mia went up to her room, and George followed. After she'd changed into some clothes that actually fit her, she sat down on the bed.

"I was so worried, y'know," George told her, "we all were." Mia swallowed and looked at him, as he sat down next to her.

"Don't make me feel guilty, George," she told him.

"I'm not!" he said, then, noticing the look she was giving him, changed it to, "at least, I'm not trying to." Mia closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said, "its just… I _needed_ to get out… and-"

"I know," He said, putting his arm around her. They sat in a comfortable silence for a minute.

"I love you," Mia told him, looking up at him. He quirked a smile.

"I know," he replied, "and I love you, too." He bent down and kissed her lips. Running his fingers through her hair, he said, "just _please_ don't do anything like it again."

"Not bloody likely," she replied, before pressing her lips to his once again.

* * *

A few weeks later, Mia had settled back into the way they were all 'living' now. Mainly, she helped Ginny go through her school books, as Molly had insisted that Ginny carry on with her school work. Usually, these sessions ended up with them playing Exploding Snap, or Wizards Chess. Sometimes, she spent time with Fred and George in the back room, helping them with their owl-delivery service, sorting through the orders, and feeding the owls that came through.

During one particular cloudy day, when everyone living in the house, Muriel included, was eating lunch around the dining table, there was a loud, fast banging on the door, and everyone jumped up. Except Muriel, who just grumbled. Arthur hurried down the hallway, with Fred and George behind him, their wands held out in front of them. Mia went to follow, but Molly laid a hand on her shoulder, so, instead, she just stood by the dining room door.

"Who is it?" Arthur called.

"Remus John Lupin!" the person called, and Mia instantly relaxed, "Werewolf. Husband of Nymphadora Tonks, and… soon to be father…"

Arthur opened the door, and Remus came in, looking flustered, and pale, incredibly excited.

"Its Dora," he said, as soon as Arthur shut the door. Mia, Molly and Ginny had now made their way into the hallway. "She… she's had the baby!"

Molly gasped. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she cried.

"Yes," Remus replied, "we've called him Ted, for Dora's father. Teddy Remus Lupin. He was born last night!"

"What's he like?" Molly asked, as she led everyone back to the dining room.

"He's just like Dora. Metamorphmagus and all!" Remus grinned, "Black hair when he was born, ginger within the hour. Purple when I got back from Shell Cottage, blonde when we woke up, green just before I left!"

Mia smiled and laughed at the image of a baby with multi-coloured hair.

"Wait, you went to Shell Cottage?" George asked.

"Yeah," Remus replied, "to tell Bill and Fleur. Oh!" he exclaimed, "and Harry, Ron and Hermione are there!"

"What?" Practically everyone yelled.

"Yeah," Remus said, "Harry's godfather! And we made Andromeda godmother!"

Muriel sniffed, haughtily. "Nuisance, children are," she said, "the lot of them. That's why I never had any."

Fred opened his mouth to retort, but Molly shot him a look.

"How're Harry, Ron and Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"They're fine," Remus replied, "seemed pretty healthy. Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood were there as well."

Lupin stayed for about another fifteen minutes. Telling them all about little Teddy Lupin. About how his hair and eye colour was constantly changing. How he fell asleep at the most random of times. How he _defiantly_ looked more like Tonks than himself (although Tonks said he _definitely_ looked more like him than her).

Finally, though, he stood up saying, "I really must be going. I told Dora and Andromeda I wouldn't be long."

"Ok, give Tonks our congratulations," Molly said.

"Yeah, buy!" Ginny called.

"See ya," Mia told him.

"Later Remus," said Fred.

"G_oo_d_bye_!" George said.

Arthur stood up to let him out of the house.

If only the happiness brought by the news that Remus had told them could stay with them for longer…

**Well, I'm not too sure about this chapter. Like I said, it was just kind of a light, filler chapter before I get into the Battle of Hogwarts and everything that goes on there.**

**Speaking of the next chapter, it might not be up for a little while. Ya see, Sunday, I'm going down to London to stay with some family. (Ok. I know I was at my aunts only yesterday, but it's the summer holidays, my parents send me places…)**

**Anyways, my gran doesn't have any internet (she doesn't even know how to work her mobile phone, which is about ten years old :/…) However, I should still be able to write, depending on what I do down there. I'm getting back either Friday or Saturday, so the next chapter should be up by Sunday/Monday next week. Anyways…**

**Please Review!**


	18. Turn Them All Into Soldiers

**Alright?**

**Thanks to: DarkPhoenixLives, LittleMagpie, michness, MarianneP, Lobo de Fuego, tOrNaDoChAsEr11, Amanda, BurnLobella, The Converse Queen**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter. I do, however, own Mia**

**Well, here we go…**

Chapter 18: Turn Them All Into Soldiers

It wasn't even a week later when Ginny suddenly came rushing downstairs, and into the back room where Mia, Fred and George were operating Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

She flung the door open, slipped inside, and clicked it shut. She then held up a large, gold Galleon.

Mia and the twins looked at her in confusion. "You alright there, Ginny?" asked George, standing up.

Ginny nodded vigorously. "Look!" she said, shoving the Galleon into Mia's hand, who was closest.

"What?" Mia asked, glancing at the Galleon.

"_Look_!" Ginny urged, as Fred and George peered over Mia's shoulder.

Hesitantly, Mia looked down at the Galleon closely, turning it over it her hands. She ran her fingers over the engravings on the edge, as she saw the words written there.

_He's Back_

There was a moment of silence. Ginny stared at the three of them, her eyes continuously flickering to the coin. Slowly, Mia looked up at Ginny, realisation on her face.

"Is this… this is your DA coin…" she said. Ginny nodded. "And… 'He' is-"

"Harry." Ginny confirmed.

Fred snatched the coin form Mia's fingers, and stopped it less then a centimetre from his face.

"Harry's back at Hogwarts?" Fred asked.

"Yes." Ginny answered.

"What?" George took the coin off of Fred, and looked at the two words etched into the side.

"Neville said that if Harry goes back to Hogwarts, he would contact me and Luna." Ginny explained.

"So I'm guessing you want to go back," George said, handing her coin back.

"Of course," Ginny said. Fred jumped up.

"As long as we get to go with you!" he said. Ginny grinned.

"I wouldn't be here if it was anything else."

Mia looked over at George, with a smirk on her face.

"How're we gunna get there, though?" George asked, "I mean… there's gunna be Death Eaters all over the place."

Mischief sparked in Ginny's eyes, but she didn't answer.

"C'mon," she said.

"Wait," Mia said, as she stood up and made their way towards the door, "What about Molly and Arthur? I mean, I doubt Muriel will come, but…"

"Mia," Fred told her, with a tiny little laugh, "Do you _really_ think that Mum'll let us go?"

Mia contemplated this for a second. "Good point," she ended up saying.

"Right, let's go!" Fred said, quietly opening the door.

They crept along the hallway and stopped by the living room, where the door was open, and Molly, Arthur and Muriel were talking together. Quickly, Ginny flitted across the door and carried on down the corridor. George followed, and Mia peeked around the corner, to make sure that they weren't looking. She was just about to step forward when Fred lightly pushed her, making her stumble. She didn't stay around to see if any of them had heard her.

Catching up with Ginny and George, she shot Fred a dirty look. They all made their way out of the front door, and ran across the front garden. It was darkening outside.

Slowly, a grin slid across Mia's face as they passed the protective boundaries.

"Right," Ginny said, glancing back to the house, "We need to go to the Hog's Head."

"What?" Fred asked.

"Well, we can't go to any random point in Hogsmeade," Ginny explained, "The curfew'll go off. So we go straight to the Hog's Head."

"…Hog's Head…" Mia muttered, "Isn't that where we all met to set up Dumbledore's Army?"

"Yup!"

"Right, let's go then," Fred said, cheerily. He gripped onto Ginny's shoulder and Disapparated with her.

"You ready?" George asked her.

"Yep," Mia answered.

"We've got no idea what's gunna happen," he stated.

"That's half the fun of it," she replied.

Gripping each others hand's tightly, they Disapparated with a crack.

* * *

They appeared in a grotty room in the Hog's Head, and saw Ginny talking to owner.

"This is Fred, Mia and George," she said, pointing to them, "And this is Aberforth."

"Yes, yes," grumbled Aberforth, "go on, get moving," he pointed to a tunnel, which was obviously usually hidden by a portrait of a young girl.

"C'mon," Ginny said, as she clambered up into the tunnel.

As Mia pushed herself up last, she heard another pop, and a girl ask, "How do you get through to Hogwarts?"

Aberforth groaned, "My pub is _not_ a railway station!"

Looking behind her, Mia saw Cho Chang pull herself through the hole, and catch up to them. Up front, Ginny looked around, and huffed, before speeding up.

"This is bizarre…." Muttered Fred, as they continued making their way through the tunnel, "this was never on the Marauder's Map!"

"That's because, technically, it doesn't exist," Ginny replied, and Mia could hear the smile in her voice.

"Whaddya mean?"

Ginny explained about how Neville had come across the Room of Requirement, fully equipped for almost all his needs, except food. And how when he got hungry, the tunnel just… appeared.

"That's so cool," Mia muttered.

Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, and Ginny climbed down. When they'd all jumped down, Mia saw people greet them enthusiastically.

"Aberforth's getting a bit annoyed," Fred said loudly, waving at everyone, "He wants a kip, and his bar's turned into a railway station." Mia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, grinning at everyone in the room. She recognised loads of them from Dumbledore's Army.

And in the very centre of the room, was Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. All looking very thin, pale, battered and bruised

"I got the message," Cho told Harry, holding up the DA coin, and making her way over to Michael Corner to sit next to him.

"So what's the plan, Harry?" George asked.

"There isn't one," Harry replied, looking shocked.

"What do you _mean_ 'there isn't one'?" Mia asked, but before Harry could answer, Fred cut across him.

"Just going to make it up as we go along, are we?" he said, "My favourite kind," he grinned, and Mia rolled her eyes again. Harry turned to Neville.

"You've got to stop this!" he said, "What did you call them all back for? This is insane-"

"We're fighting, aren't we?" Dean Thomas asked, flipping up his own DA coin. "The message said Harry was back, and we were going to fight! I'll have to get a wand, though-"

"You haven't got a wand?" Seamus Finnegan asked.

Mia saw Ron spin around and he, Harry and Hermione started to have a hushed conversation.

After a few seconds, Fred and George started cracking jokes. The noise in the room became louder and louder.

"Okay!" Harry yelled. Everyone in the room fell silent, and Mia looked over at him, a small smile on her face. "There's something we need to find," Harry told them, "Something… something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who." Mia looked at him with utter confusion, why couldn't he just tell them what it was? "It's here at Hogwarts," Harry continued, "but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?"

He looked over to the group of Ravenclaws, Padma Patil, Michael Corner, Terry Boot and Cho Chang. But none of them answered. Instead, it was Luna Lovegood, who Mia hadn't even noticed.

"Well, there's her lost diadem." She said, "I told you about it, remember, Harry? The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Daddy's trying to duplicate it."

Michael Corner rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but the lost diadem… is lost, Luna. That's sort of the point." He said.

"When was it lost?" asked Harry.

"Centuries ago," Cho answered, and a looked of dejection spread across Harry's face. "Professor Flitwick says the diadem vanished with Ravenclaw herself," Cho shrugged, "People have looked, but… nobody's ever found a trace of it, have they?" All the Ravenclaws shook their heads.

"Sorry, but," Ron cut in, "_what_ is a diadem?"

"It's a kind of crown," Terry Boot explained, "Ravenclaw's was supposed to have magical properties, enhance the wisdom of the wearer."

"Why would Ravenclaw herself need a crown with magical properties like those?" Mia asked, but she was ignored. Huffing, she crossed her arms as Luna spoke.

"Yes, Daddy's Wrackspurt siphon-"

"And none of you have ever seen anything that looks like it?" Harry cut across.

The Ravenclaws shook their heads, and Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione. All three of them looked at disappointed.

"If you'd like to see what the diadem's supposed to look like," Cho suddenly said, "I could take you up to our common room and show you, Harry. Ravenclaw's wearing it in her statue."

For a moment, Harry didn't answer. He blinked for a moment, and Mia thought she saw him sway. After a second, he looked over to Ron and Hermione, and muttered something to them.

Taking that as a yes to her offer, Cho stood up, and then so did Ginny.

"No," she said, quickly, "Luna will take Harry, won't you, Luna?"

"Ooo, yes, I'd like to," said Luna, smiling. Mia caught Fred's eye, and they laughed silently as Cho sat down and Luna stood up.

"How do we get out?" Harry asked Neville.

"Over here." Neville led them over to a corner and opened a cupboard door.

"It comes out somewhere different every day, so they've never been able to find it," he explained, "Only trouble is, we never know exactly where we're going to end up when we go out." he paused for a second, and looked at Harry and Luna, "Be careful, Harry, they're always patrolling the corridors at night."

"No problem," said Harry. "See you in a bit."

Harry climbed up the staircase, closely followed by Luna.

Mia felt utterly confused. _Why_ did Harry need to find Ravenclaw's Diadem? And why didn't he even know about it until he was told.

Time passed, and the room started to get noisy again. Ron and Hermione were discussing something urgently in a corner. Sighing, Mia slipped her and into George's, and interlocked their fingers.

Ron and Hermione finished their conversation and made their way over to Mia, Fred, George and Ginny.

Sighing, Hermione said, "Alert as many people as you can. Use the DA coins. I have a feeling we might need them."

"C'mon," Ron muttered to Hermione, "We need to get to Myrtle's bathroom."

As they left, Mia felt even more baffled. Who the hell was _Myrtle_? Pushing it to the back of her mind, she turned around and said, "Ginny?"

"On it," Ginny replied, already pulling out her DA coin and her wand.

* * *

It wasn't even five minutes later when people started arriving through the tunnel. Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell were the first to arrive, and Mia, Fred and George pushed their way over to them.

They'd barely gotten a greeting out when Angelina Johnson and Oliver Wood entered. Jumping, Mia flung her arms around Angelina, who hugged her back just as tightly.

"You got back alright, then," Angelina said, as they pulled away.

"Yeah," Mia replied, "Thank you. I mean, I know I've said that a lot, but-"

"Seriously, Mia," Angelina laughed, "Don't worry about it!"

Remus Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived together, and then Bill and Fleur jumped down from the hole.

"What are you _doing_ here?" Bill said, grabbing onto Fred's arm, "Where's Mum and Dad?"

"Right. Here." They all looked up and saw Molly and Arthur standing right in front of the hole, with Molly looking furious.

"Ah," Fred said.

"Should've known they'd find out," George said. Mia just flinched at the deadly look on Molly's face.

"What were you _thinking_?" She cried at them, "Coming here! And without telling us!" everyone in hearing distance (which was basically everyone in the room, due to the volume of Molly's voice) turned to look at them.

Fred, George and Ginny flinched as Bill and Fleur moved to stand beside Molly. Mia stood awkwardly, and looking down at the floor.

"You don't know what's going on here!" Molly continued, "You didn't know how dangerous it could have been! Or _why_ Harry was back! I mean, where is he? And where's Ron and Hermione?"

Her rant was cut short by Lupin running over to the stairs.

"Harry, what's happening?" He asked. Everyone in the room whipped around to see Harry and Luna coming back into the room.

"Voldemort's on his way," Harry said, urgently, "They're barricading the school. Snape's run for it. What are you doing here? How did you know?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army," Fred piped up, "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the DA let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed." He shrugged.

"What first, Harry?" George asked. "What's going on?"

"Yeah," Mia called, "What're we doing?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids," Harry told them, "And everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized," There was the tiniest of pauses. And then he said, "We're fighting."

Everyone in the room yelled aimlessly, pulling out their wands and running towards the tiny door. Mia squeezed George's hand, before letting it drop. They were about to join the crowd, when they heard Molly yell, "NO! You're _not_ going!"

As the crowd thinned, Mia saw Ginny trying to get out of Molly's grip, with Arthur, Remus, Fred, Bill and Fleur standing around. Joining the circle, Mia saw Harry walk over to them.

"You're underage!" Molly cried, "I won't permit it!" She yanked Ginny back towards her, "The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

"I won't!" Ginny shouted at her, pulling so hard, it was surprising her arm hadn't been ripped off. "I'm in Dumbledore's Army-!"

"A teenager' gang!" Molly screeched.

"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on," Fred defended, "Which no one else has dared to do!"

"She's sixteen! She's not old enough! What you two were thinking bringing her with you?" Fred, George and Mia looked down at the ground guiltily, Mia perhaps feeling a little more ashamed then the twins.

"Mum's right, Ginny," Bill said, "You can't do this. Everyone underage will have to leave, it's only right."

"I can't go home!" Ginny yelled, as tears welled up in her eyes, "My whole family's here! I can't stand waiting there alone and not knowing and-" she cut herself off, and looked at Harry, pleadingly. But he shook his head.

"Fine," She said, harshly, "I'll say goodbye now, then, and-"

Suddenly, someone fell out of the tunnel. He stood up, and, not even bothering to straighten his glasses, looked around at all shocked faces, said "Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out, so I… I…"

Percy Weasley fell silent. He looked around at practically his whole family. George grabbed hold of Mia's hand again, as she peered at Percy's shocked and pale face.

"So…" Fleur said, suddenly, "'Ow eez leetle Teddy?"

Mia, Harry and Remus were the only ones to look at her.

"I…" Remus said, "…Oh yes, he's fine… Yes, Tonks is with him, at her mother's. Here, I've got a picture," he pulled out a picture of a tiny little baby, with turquoise hair and the biggest grin a baby could have, waving his hands around wildly. Mia stood up on her tip-toes to catch a glimpse of the picture.

"I was a fool!" Percy bellowed, Remus almost dropped the photo, and Mia almost toppled over. George caught her shoulder with is free and she righted herself.

"I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a… a-"

"Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron," Fred finished.

"Yes," Percy said, "I was!"

"Well," Fred clasped his hands together, "You can't say fairer than that," He held out his hand for Percy to shake.

As Molly rushed forward to throw her arms around her son, Percy looked over to Arthur.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he said, a lot quieter then he had just been shouting.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" asked George.

"It's been coming on for a while," Percy told them, "But I had to find a way out and it's not so easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time," he looked around at his family, "I managed to make contact with Aberforth and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here I am."

There was a second of silence.

"Well," George said, "We do look to our prefects to take a lead at times such as these! Now let's get upstairs and fight or all the good Death Eaters'll be taken."

Mia laughed as George pulled her along behind him, with Percy and Fleur introducing themselves behind them, and Fred sliding past them to run on the other side of Mia.

They made their way to the Great Hall, where dishevelled-looking students were sitting in travelling cloaks or dressing gowns. Ghosts were dotted around the Hall, and teachers and members of the Order of the Phoenix were standing on the raised platform at the front of the Hall, Professor McGonagall at the front.

"Didn't think we'd ever be here again, eh?" Mia muttered, as they all walked around the edge of the hall and joined the Order on the platform. Some students they passed turned to look at them, some looking confused, some looking scared.

"We will be evacuating the castle," McGonagall was saying, "Evacuation will be overseen by Mr Filch and Madame Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges in orderly fashion to the evacuation point."

Mia saw Harry enter the Hall, looking around. At the Hufflepuff table, someone stood up. Mia recognised him from Dumbledore's Army, but couldn't quite remember his name. but she admired what he said:

"And what if we want to stay and fight?"

Some people around the Hall clapped, and Mia grinned.

"If you are of age, you may stay," McGonagall said, looking around at the four tables.

"What about our things?" A girl called out, "Our trunks, our owls?"

Mia rolled her eyes. Didn't she realise that their _lives_ were at stake here?

"We have no time to collect possessions," McGonagall said, sternly, "The important thing is to get you out of here safely."

"Where's Professor Snape?" Yelled a Slytherin.

"He has, to use the common phrase," McGonagall smiled slightly, "done a bunk."

The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs cheered, and Mia, Fred and George joined in, clapping quietly at the front.

"We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it." McGonagall called, "I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects-"

Nobody heard the rest of the words. Suddenly, a high, cold voice echoed around the Hall. Where it was coming from, nobody could tell. They weren't even sure if it was in their heads, or outside it. Some of the younger students screamed.

"I know that you are preparing to fight." Mia clasped her hands over her ears, gripping her scalp.

"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

As a silence settled over them, Mia slowly dropped her hands, looking around. Unconsciously, Fred and George had moved closer to each other.

"Give me Harry Potter," the voice started up again, and Mia flinched. "And you shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded… You have until midnight."

For a full minute, there was silence, and the voice spoke no more. Mia knew who had spoken, who had gotten inside the castle, and inside their heads. But she didn't want to think it. She didn't want to.

Slowly, a girl from the Slytherin table stood up, and pointed to Harry, who was gradually walking around the Hall.

"But he's there!" She screamed, "Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

Everyone at the Gryffindor table stood up, pulling their wands out, and stood in front of Harry. He Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws followed, creating a wall in front of Harry, all of them with their wands out.

Mia watched, with a smug smile on her face. The Slytherin girl had gone pale, and she backed away.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," McGonagall said, sharply, "You will leave the Hall first with Mr Filch. If the rest of your House could follow."

Every single Slytherin stood up and left the Hall.

"Ravenclaws follow on!" called McGonagall.

Eventually, everyone who wanted, or had, to leave, had. Leaving nearly every of-age Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Harry ran over to the Weasley's.

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" He asked. Mia looked around anxiously, wondering where they were.

"Haven't you found-?" Arthur started to ask, but then Kingsley stood up and moved forward.

"We've only got half an half an hour until midnight," he said, in his deep voice, "So we need to act fast. A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers: Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor, where they'll have good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur, and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defence of the entrances or the passageways into the school-"

"Sounds like a job for us." Fred called, grinning, and pointed to himself and George.

"All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"

Fred and George made their way towards Kingsley, and the students staying to fight scraped away from their tables, milling around towards the front.

Mia pushed her way towards Kingsley. "I wanna go down to the grounds with you," she said. Kingsley nodded and told her to stand with a group of troops they had already organised. Among them was Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown, along with two Ravenclaws she didn't recognise, and three Hufflepuffs.

She saw Harry talking to McGonagall, and then run out of the Hall. Kingsley was dividing up the students. The students turned soldiers.

She felt someone loosely tug on her hand, and George pulled her away from the group.

"You'll be ok," he told her, locking their fingers together.

"'Course I will," she replied, squeezing his hands.

"Right, well… I'm going to the other side of the castle with them lot there," he gestured vaguely to a group of kids.

"I'm going with Kingsley to the Grounds," Mia said. George nodded and sighed.

"Be careful," he told her. She looked up at him.

"Its gunna be a battle, George," she said, softly, "This ain't the time to be careful."

"Fine, then," he replied, quirking a smile, "Fight your best, beat as many Death Eaters as you can, and knock 'em down to Hell."

Mia whacked a smile onto her face, "That's more like it," she said, "And you'd better do the same." George nodded.

Running a thumb over her hand, he kissed her softly.

"I love you," he told her.

"Love you too," she replied. He landed a kiss on her forehead before letting go of her hands and going back to the group he was leading.

Sighing, Mia looked over to Fred, where he was directing a bunch of students.

"Oi, Fred!" she called, and he looked up, "Good luck!"

"You too!" he replied. Nodding, Mia went back to stand next to Seamus, and Kingsley came over to them.

"We have fifteen minutes until midnight," he said, "Are you ready Remus, Arthur?" he called to them, where they were organising their own groups of soldiers.

"As ready as we can be!" Remus called back, and Arthur nodded in agreement.

"Let's move out!" Kingsley boomed.

The three groups going down to the Grounds marched out of the Hall. Mia strode up front, just a step or two behind Kingsley, Remus and Arthur, and Alicia Spinnet came to join her. The students walked a pace or two behind Mia and Alicia.

"Good luck, Mia," Alicia whispered, as they walked down the steps.

"Good luck, Alicia," Mia breathed back.

They reached the grass, and the three different groups split off. With one last look at each other, Alicia went with Remus' group, to the left of the Grounds, and Mia went with Kingsley, to the centre. Arthur's group went off to the right.

For ten minutes, they stood there, in complete silence. A breeze whistled through the trees and ran around them. Mia looked around, waiting…

Finally, midnight came. In the distance, they heard shouting. Mia stood up straighter. They could see a mass moving towards them. She held up her wand. The mass turned into individual people.

The first curse was thrown.

And chaos erupted.

**Well, it's begun. The Battle of Hogwarts. Next chapter will be up tomorrow, I promise.**

**Please Review!**


	19. War

**Hey, everyone!**

**Thanks to: DarkPhoenixLives, AnimatedAbby, quidditchandsonicscrewdrivers, MarianneP, Lobo de Fuego, Amanda and Selena Marie Weasley**

**Disclaimer: Own Mia Homing, don't own Harry Potter**

**Well, here's where the action really starts. I hope I manage to pull this battle off, and that it lives up to your expectations**

Chapter 19: War

It was impossible to tell who threw the first curse. Whether it was their side or the other. The only thing that Mia knew was that the battle had finally started.

Within seconds, she came up against a Death Eater. Letting out a war cry, she threw a spell towards him, and he instantly burst into flames. She dropped to the floor and spun out of the way of a Killing Curse. Throwing up a Shield Charm, she flicked her wand again, and a Death Eater was slammed to the ground, where Seamus finished him off.

She wasn't taking any prisoners. She was going to make sure those Death Eaters knew… She was going to pound into those Death Eaters' heads that Muggle-Borns were not worthless. That 'Blood-Traitors' were not actually traitors at all. That Harry Potter _would_ defeat Voldemort.

She dodged another curse, a sparking, angry red stream of light, and slipped over, falling onto her back. A Death Eater ran past her, and she grabbed onto his leg, using him to pull herself up, and dragging him down in the process. Stumbling, she shot a spell at him, but it missed, setting the grass alight about a metre away. As he started to get up, she tried again, and the spell spiralled into his back. He fell back onto the ground, and lay motionless.

The Death Eaters that had gotten past the first wave of soldiers and defences (and there were many of the Death Eaters. Too many), were now running up the stone steps and into the castle.

Then there was a shrieking heard. Like a baby wailing. Mia only heard it for a split second, before she clasped her hands tight over her ears, to drown out the cry of the Mandrake Root. Around her, she saw several people fall to the ground, some of them Death Eaters, some of them Hogwarts students. Dead, or just unconscious, she wasn't quite sure.

She felt a splitting across her right calf, and spun around, to see a Death Eater pointing his wand at her. But then the Death Eater blanched, and fell flat forward. Behind him was Alicia, with her wand out.

Lowering her hands from her ears, because the drop from one of the highest towers and the collision with the hard earth had obviously silenced the Mandrakes. Mia thanked Alicia, before parting to fight different Death Eaters once more.

Ignoring the pain in her leg, Mia turned and jumped into a duel already taking place. Together, she, Kingsley and Arthur battled five Death Eaters. Shooting curses and jinxes, red streams of light and flaming green, conjuring Shield Charms and dodging spells.

And then there were giants on the scene. Great, hulking creatures, taller then anything Mia had ever seen, swinging clubs and walking over people, cutting their screams short. Mia, Kingsley and Arthur jumped out the way of a vast foot, and Mia scrambled up. Not looking back, she chased after a Death Eater.

Jumping up and over broken and cracked stone steps, she entered the castle. The Entrance Hall was already in a state of destruction. Shattered windows, fractured stones, dust swirling in the air.

Mia shot a curse towards a Death Eater, but he jumped out the way, and the curse hit another person in the back.

Around her, people were screaming and shouting, running and fighting. Different coloured jinxes zoomed past her. Fiery curses flew over her head. Ducking down to avoid being hit, she sliced her arm on a broken piece of banister.

Pushing herself up the stairs, Mia shot a curse into a mass of fighters at the top, before throwing herself into them.

And then she was fighting back to back with Tonks. Surrounded by a circle of Death Eaters, with some students scattered next to them as well.

"You should be at home with Teddy!" Mia yelled, throwing a jinx over her head, and sending a Death Eater flying through the air, and slamming into the wall. If it hadn't have been so loud, she would have heard a sickening crack as he collided.

"I had to come!" Tonks shrieked, letting a spell slide across the ground, tripping someone up, and letting them toppled down the stairs

And then three Hogwarts defenders fell to the ground at once, and Bellatrix Lestrange came striding up the stairs. A sadistic, manic grin set on her face. She yelled her curses with glee, and most of those curses were 'Avada Kedavra'. Around them, people dropped dead. Mia shot a curse towards her, but Bellatrix blocked it.

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

And Tonks was dead before she hit the ground.

Bellatrix was already laughing a heartless laugh, and turning her pointing her wand at another person, before Mia realised what had happened. By the time she had, Bellatrix had already shot the fatal green light towards her. Skidding to the floor, and clutching Tonks' arm, the Killing Curse missed her by inches, shattering a screaming gargoyle instead.

Bellatrix ran down another corridor, towards another mass of violent fighting.

Still on the floor, Mia shot curses and jinxes towards Death Eaters. She didn't realise the few tears falling from her eyes. Finally, she was hauled up by Aberforth, the owner of the Hog's Head.

"Come on, girl!" he roared, and he and Mia shot the same Stunning Spell towards a death Eater, sending him crashing through a window, falling to the grounds below.

Aberforth pushed her away, and she ran up the stairs again, leaving Tonks' dead body behind.

Portraits screamed. Some aimlessly, some with encouragement, some with advice. "BEHIND YOU!" Unsure as to whether the young man with black hair and rather large ears actually meant her or not, she turned around anyway, in time see a Death Eater letting a curse shoot out his wand. She ducked, jumped back up, and punched him down the stairs.

Next to her, Parvati Patil and Dean Thomas were dulling Death Eaters. Above her, Peeves the Poltergeist was dropping Snargaluff Pods onto Death Eaters' heads. Dodging a Pod, she shot a curse at a Death Eater, who was aiming his wand at Parvati's back.

A fire burst up behind her, and some flames closed around her left leg, and set it alight. Jumping away and screaming, she fumbled to shoot water out of her wand, and by the time she had, what was left of her trouser leg was stuck to the raw, burnt skin.

Trying her best to ignore the pain, she limped away, gradually getting quicker and quicker, until she was running again, adrenalin drowning the pain.

Bounding up yet another flight of stairs, she passed suits of armour swinging their swords and slamming their shields. Death Eaters were blowing off their hollow limbs, and kicking away their empty helmets.

Mia shot a spell, missing her target and hitting the painting of a tall blonde man in chain-mail.

"HEY, WATCH OUT!" he yelled, leaping to the next picture of a woman in a green dress.

Pushing her way down the hallway, shooting curses at Death Eaters and shattering windows. Mia passed a ghost that was flying around one end of the corridor in a meaningless way. He flew right through her, and she had to stop for a second, as coldness flooded through her.

The she heard the screaming. Turning around, she saw tens of large, hairy black spiders, dashing up the stairs on their eight long legs. It appeared that they were not on either side, as they brought down both Death Eaters, and Hogwarts' defenders.

After she'd blasted away a few spiders, she blew away a tapestry and ran through the secret passageway.

Then she heard a shout. She whipped around, and tripped over onto her back, to see a Death Eater approaching her. A tall man, with a broad face and a flat nose.

She scrambled back and threw herself even further onto the stone floor as he threw curse after curse after curse at her. She managed to lift her wand and send a Stunning Spell his way. Hitting him, he fell backwards, and she scuttled up off of the floor and tried to run down the passageway.

"OI!" Looking behind her, she saw that the Death Eater had regained consciousness. She produced a Shield Charm before he even shot the purple coloured jinx at her.

The two of them dulled down the narrow, dark corridor. At either end, they could hear and see the rest of the battle thriving.

The Death Eater blew Mia's wand out of her hand. It clattered to the floor metres away. She stopped moving. He pointed his wand to her chest. Throwing herself out of the way, narrowly missing a curse which smashed into the wall. she reached for her wand, managing to grab it with the tips of her fingers. Twisting back around, she threw a spell at the Death Eater, and he was sent flying back down the corridor.

And then a high, cold voice burst through the walls. Invading their minds. Ringing in their ears.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

For a moment, there was a silence. And then Death Eaters Apperated away.

Breathing heavily, Mia licked her lips, and stood up shakily, using ridges in the recently blown up wall to help her. She ran a hand over her sweaty, dusty face, and then tried to tug the fingers through her knotted hair, before staggering out of the passageway.

She joined the people walking down the stairs. Injured who were strong enough to walk were leaning on people, or clutching their wounds. Some people were carrying dead between them, and a little way a way, Mia spotted something bright pink.

She pushed her way through the crowd, until she reached them. Two people were carrying Tonks, and just behind them, three people were carrying the body of Remus.

"Oh God," Mia gasped, smacking her hands to her mouth. The person holding Tonks' legs looked up at her.

"Know her?" the boy asked. Mia nodded.

"And him," she point to Remus, "They were married…"

"At least they'll be together," said the woman carrying Remus' shoulders.

"They had a son. Only a few weeks old. Oh, Teddy…" Mia breathed. No one heard her.

She hurried and took one of Tonks' legs, and helped carry her body down to the Great Hall.

On either side of them, inhabitants of portraits followed them.

"Excellent battle!" the blonde man in chain-mail was yelling, "Well done! They're death's were not in vain!" He gestured to Lupin.

"Well done," the black-haired young man with rather large ears was whispering to individual people, crouching down in the frames.

The woman in the green dress ran back and forth along the people, not saying a word, but peering at the dead and injured, and then she ran around a corner, probably to get news from other parts of the castle.

As they were hauling Tonks' body don't the last flight of stairs, pain started to come back to Mia's legs. She hadn't realised it before; the adrenalin of the battle must have cut out all feeling.

She stumbled as the pain worsened. "You alright?" a girl next to her asked, and Mia recognised Hannah Abbot.

"Y-yeah," Mia replied wincing. She was now fully aware of the fabric practically wielded to the burns on her left leg, and the blood dried on her leg from the split in the skin of her right calf. Of course, the burns were much more painful then the ripped skin.

She stumbled again, and this time almost dropped Tonks' leg.

"Whoa…" Hannah said, as she steadied Mia. Her eyes dropped down to Mia's legs, and Hannah grimaced. Mia stumbled again, and Hannah caught Tonks' leg when Mia dropped it.

"Hey, Ernie!" Hannah called, and the boy who had stood up in the Great Hall and asked to fight looked up. "Can you take this?" she handed him Tonks' leg, and Mia looked on, wanting to protest. She even went forward to take her leg before Ernie, but she stumbled again, and let out a sound pain. Hannah held onto Mia's shoulders and helped her walk.

She was almost surprised. Here she was, leaning on a girl who she only really knew by face. A girl who she probably wouldn't even know the name of if she hadn't even been in Dumbledore's Army. And yet Hannah Abbot was helping her walk, letting her lean almost all of her weight on her, despite the fact that Mia was probably heavier then her.

Finally, they made it down to the Great Hall, where there was already a great mass of people. In the middle of the Hall, there was a small line of the dead. Tonks and Remus were taken off and laid softly on the end, side by side.

"C'mon," Hannah said, and helped Mia hobbled over to the front of the Hall, where the injured were being tended to. "Wait here a sec," she said softly, before going off to find someone.

While Hannah was away, Mia stretched out her legs painfully and inspected the injuries. The burn needed a potion to help it heal, but she could easily fix the slice in the other leg. Pointing her wand at it, she muttered a few words, and watched as the skin sewed itself together, not even leaving a scar.

Hannah came back with a woman who was holding several jars.

"You ok?" Hannah asked Mia.

"Yeah," she nodded, "Thank you." Hannah smiled at her.

"I'm gunna go and try to find some more injured. Maybe ones that can't walk on their own," she said, before leaving.

"Here," the woman said, handing Mia a potion, "Put this over your burns and give it a minute. I need to go and tend to the other wounded."

Mia suddenly realised what it felt like to be the patient, and not the Healer. Taking the jar, she uncapped it and scooped the yellow, slick liquid out with her fingers. After painfully picking away pieces of trouser, she slapped the potion over the burns.

It stung and smoked painfully for a minute, until it slowly ebbed away, although the burn marks stayed.

As she was breathing in deeply, and starting to stand up, she heard someone scream her name. Looking up, she saw Molly and Fleur running towards her. Molly crouched down, and fluttered her hands around Mia's shoulders.

"Oh, you're ok," Molly said, "What happened. You're leg! Oh!" using Molly and Fleur levers, Mia pulled herself up. Fleur's cheek was bleeding profoundly.

"I'm fine," she said, as Fleur let Mia examine her cheek, "Just got caught by some fire," she prodded Fleur's cheek, who hissed in pain, but the gash was Healed almost instantly.

"_Merci_," she said, running her fingers over her cheek.

"I'm gunna join the healers," Mia told them, "Call me if anyone else turns up."

"What?" Molly said, worried, "You mean no one's here?" Mia licked her lips, and her eyes flickered to Tonks' and Remus' bodies. Molly and Fleur followed her gaze, and they stood in shock.

"OH!" Molly cried, before running over to them. Fleur looked over to Mia.

"I will call when ze others turn up," she said. Mia nodded and made her way up to the platform. She limped a little bit, but eventually, her mind moved away from the now-slight pain in her leg.

She looked through the quickly-produced potions, which had been made up very swiftly. They were easy potions that probably wouldn't help much. Simple pain-reducing potions, a few straightforward ones to help with burns and scraps and a few with deep gashes.

Mia picked up a couple and then made her way over to Professor Flitwick, who was sitting on the edge of the platform.

"Hey, Professor," Mia sighed, sitting down next to him.

"Oh!" he squeaked, "Miss Homing!" she nodded, and took a look at his arm, which was being hugged to his chest. It had been snapped in three different places, but she fixed it quickly.

Arthur arrived next, and Fleur came over to find Mia. The same happened when Bill turned up, and then finally, when Ginny came running in with blood running down her arm.

"Here," Mia said, gently pulling out Ginny's arm. She gasped as Mia wiped away some of the blood.

"Its not too bad, is it?" Molly asked, looking over Mia's shoulder.

"No," she said softly, "Deep, but I can fix it."  
She'd just finished closing up Ginny's wound when she felt Molly go stock-still beside her. Mia looked at her, confused, and then followed her gaze. She felt her heart stop and her mind shut down.

Because walking through the door was Percy, and two other people.

And they were carrying Fred Weasley's body.

Molly started to shake her head, her body trembling, as Percy and the two other people laid Fred's body next to Tonks and Lupin. The two people left them, and Percy looked up at his mother.

Mia looked down at Fred's body, barely comprehending what this meant. Her eyes flicked from his face to his feet. His arms and torso. And finally, landed back on his face. It was empty. His eyes were flat. His skin was drained. Even the freckles covering his features were pallid and hard to see.

Molly fell to the ground beside him, and hovered her hands over his body, almost not daring to believe it. Arthur bent down next to her, and placed a hand on her hair. Fleur pulled Ginny into a tight hug, and Bill wrapped his arms around both of them.

Everything went blurry, and Mia felt tears fall by the tens, possibly hundreds, from her eyes. Wrapping her arms around herself tightly and hunching up, and convulsed as she tried not to make a sound.

Because it was Fred. _Fred Weasley_! The boy she'd known since she was eleven years old. The first person at Hogwarts she'd ever met. He couldn't be dead. She almost expected him to jump up and laugh at them. Telling them how gullible they were for really believing it. And then Molly would shriek her head off at him, and everyone there would berate him, and he would just laugh his head off, and in years to come they would look back on it and all laugh together.

But he didn't jump up. And Molly couldn't shriek her head off, and nobody could berate him, and he would _never_ laugh his head off again. And in years to come, he wouldn't even be there.

Behind them, there was the sound of running footsteps, and someone skidded to a stop next to her, his hands clasping her shoulder. Next to her, George Weasley stood, the most disbelieving of them all.

Slowly, George walked forward, and dropped to his knees by his twin brother's head.

As Ginny detached herself from Bill and Fleur, their group was joined by two other people. Percy threw his arms around Ron, and Hermione drew Ginny into a hug. Mia shuddered violently again, and felt herself being pulled away from her spot. Hermione embraced her tightly, and Ginny buried her face in Mia's shoulder. Mia closed her eyes, and rested her forehead on the top of Hermione's head.

Eventually, Mia pulled away from the two other girls and, with tears still falling freely down her red and discoloured face, went to kneel down on the floor next to George. She didn't say anything, but rested her hand lightly on top of his. The only sign that he knew she was there was that his hand twitched, and his thumb discreetly hooked around her own.

None of them knew how long they stayed there. None of them _wanted_ to know how long they stayed there. But it seemed like eternity.

And as they stayed there, sitting or standing, the high, cold voice spoke for the third time that night.

"Harry Potter is dead."

**Well, I hope that lived up to your expectations. Please Review!**


	20. Defeated

**Hey! How you all doing?**

**Thanks to: LittleMagpie, MarianneP, AnimatedAbby, vixen519, Amanda, Lobo de Fuego and LittleBlondeLibraian. All of whom reviewed, thank you :)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Potter Universe, but I do own Mia**

**Well, here's the last chapter of Deathly Hallows. Although I'll probably do an Epilogue type thing**

Chapter 20: Defeated

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Everyone in the Hall was looking at the double doors. They were silent and still. Nobody could believe. They were more shocked, then anything.

"Come," Voldemort's voice echoed.

McGonagall rose from her place at the platform, and strode across the Hall. People started to follow her into the Entrance Hall. Mia stood up, and George pushed himself up off of the floor. Mia, Hermione and the Weasley's pushed through to the front of the crowd.

McGonagall threw open the doors and strode out onto the illuminated, broken stone steps.

"NO!" She screamed. Mia flinched at the sound. It was so horrible, made her sound so… _defeated_. It was a sound Mia never expected to come from McGonagall's mouth.

They pushed themselves onto the stairs. And there was Harry Potter, lying limp in Hagrid's arms. An army of Death Eaters behind them, and Voldemort was standing, tall and proud, with a great snake at his side.

People in the crowd started to shout and scream.

"No!"

"No!"

"Harry! HARRY!"

"He's dead!"

"No!"

"_SILENCE_!" Voldemort yelled. He raised his wand, and Mia was momentarily blinded by a bright light, and deafened by a loud _bang_.

And she wasn't able to screech any more.

"It is over!" Voldemort told them, "set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

Hagrid stumbled forward, and tried his best to lower Harry's body gently onto the ground.

"You see? Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort started to pace left and right behind Harry, "Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

Mia started shaking her head. Tears were no longer falling from her eyes, and the sadness had been replaced by resentment.

"He beat you!" Ron yelled.

And then they were all yelling again. Mia lurched forward, her wand ready in her hand, only to be pulled back violently by George. For a few seconds, she tried to get out of his grip, but then there was another bang and bright light, and they were forced into silence once again.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," said Voldemort. Mia tried to jerk away. That was a lie. She _knew_ Harry wouldn't abandon them. But George tightened his grip around her even more. Voldemort carried on. "Killed while trying to save himself-"

On the other side of McGonagall, Neville ran forward, his wand out in front of him. Voldemort flicked his wand, and there another bang. Neville yelled as he was thrown back, and his wand flew away.

"And who," Voldemort said, with a laugh in his voice, "Is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix Lestrange stepped forward. "It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" she cackled, "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember… But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort said, almost thoughtfully, looking down at Neville.

"So what if I am?" Neville defied.

"You show spirit and bravery," Voldemort told him quietly, but still loud enough for everyone to hear, "And you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!"

Each and every member of Dumbledore's Army, past a present, cheered. For a moment, Mia let a proud grin fall on her face. Until Voldemort spoke again.

"Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom," he murmured, dangerously "We revert to the original plan. On your head… be it."

People gasped when one of the highest windows in the castle shattered, and something came flying out of it. They watched as the Sorting Hat landed in Voldemort's hands.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School," Voldemort called, "There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

Neville's body became stiff, and Voldemort placed the Sorting Hat on his head, and pulled it down over his eyes. Mia rose up onto her tip-toes and peered over heads in the crowd. George pulled her even closer to him, tightening his grip even more.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me."

And then the Sorting Hat was on fire. And Neville was screaming in pain. But, as much as they wanted to help, the people of Hogwarts could not move.

And then there was a war cry heard. A war cry being yelled from hundreds of people.

Everyone in the Grounds looked up at the same time, to see a mass of people running towards the castle. To see the shopkeepers and homeowners of Hogsmeade, and the family of the students who stayed to fight, running to their aid.

A child-like giant came staggering around the castle, yelling something that sounded like, "HAGGER?"

And then the battle started again. Even bigger then before.

Voldemort's giants lumbered over to the child-like one, and the ground shook under their combined weight. Centaurs came galloping out of the Forbidden Forest, shooting arrows at the Death Eaters.

The people from Hogsmeade joined the crowd on the Hogwarts steps, and then curses were being thrown everywhere.

And then there was a flash of silver that caught everyone's eye. Neville was swinging a large sword above his head. The blade slashed through the air, and Voldemort's snake's head went spinning up into the air, until it landed on the ground.

The battle recovered from its split-second pause.

George let go of Mia, and she skidded behind him, shooting curse after curse at Death Eaters.

Jumping out of the way of a giant's foot, she fell flat on her back. In the sky, she saw great, black, horse-like beast flying down to attack the giants. She had no idea what they were, or where they'd come from, but they were attacking Voldemort's side. And she was thankful for them.

Mia jumped up off of the floor, and followed the crowd back into the castle. She duelled a Death Eater, managing to push him back across the Hall. And as he shot a curse that she hadn't been prepared for, a Shield Charm appeared between them out of no where. She pushed it to the back of her mind, twirled her wand in the air, sending the Death Eater crashing to the floor.

The kitchen door was thrown off of its hinges, and hundreds of house-elves ran out, swinging cleavers and great knives over their heads. Their leader had a large gold locket bouncing on its chest, and it was yelling, "Fight! Fight! Fight for my Master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!"

Mia had no idea what it was talking about, but she almost laughed as Death Eaters buckled as the house-elves chopped at their legs.

As she duelled different Death Eaters, different parts of the battle flew across her eyes. She saw Voldemort duelling Kingsley, McGonagall and Slughorn. The Malfoys running aimlessly through the fighters. Bellatrix Lestrange fighting Ginny, Hermione and Luna.

Mia turned and flicked her wand so vigorously, almost losing it in the process, and sent a Death Eater smashing through a window.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Whirring around, Mia saw Molly sprinting towards Bellatrix, Hermione, Ginny and Luna, and the three girls scattered out of her way.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Molly yelled, and, sending a curse towards Bellatrix, they began to duel.

Mia, along with a few other people, moved forward to try and help her, but stopped when she snarled, "No! Get back! Get back! She. Is. Mine!"

Along with almost everyone else in the Hall, Mia moved to stand in a circle around them, ending up next to Ron, watching the two duels going on. And she was utterly amazed.

She had never seen Molly Weasley fighting someone. Never even imagined it. Sure, she had seen her angry. But never… _never_ duelling another person.

"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" Bellatrix screeched, almost happily, at her, "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?" Mia clenched her fists, and across the Hall, she saw George tense up.

"You. Will. Never. Touch. Our. Children. Again!" Molly shrieked at Bellatrix, sending a curse between each word. Next to her, Ron was staring, white as a sheet.

Bellatrix let out a shrill laugh at the exact same time that Molly sent her a curse.

It exploded over her heart. Bellatrix froze. Her eyes widened as she realised what had just happened. And then she dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Mia roared with triumph, along with everyone else on their side. Next to her, Ron punched the air.

In the middle of the circle, Voldemort let out a burst of power, and McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley were thrown backwards. He pointed his wand at Molly, and everyone in the room watching, including every single Weasley, Mia and Hermione fell silent in panic.

But a voice yelled, "Protego!" and a large Shield Charm stretched the length of the Hall.

Harry Potter pulled off his Invisibility Cloak.

Voldemort stared in shock.

The screams of victory were even louder then before.

"_HARRY_!" Mia yelled, using Ron's shoulder's to help her jump up to get a better look. He didn't protest. All he did was stumble a bit and laugh.

But that only lasted a second, because they all fell silent when Harry and Voldemort started to circle each other.

"I don't want anyone else to help. It's got to be like this. It's got to be me." Harry told them all loudly.

"Potter doesn't mean that," Voldemort hissed, "This isn't how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody." Harry stated. "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good…"

For a second, Mia felt confused. What was a Horcrux? But Voldemort was speaking again, and she lost the thought.

"One of us? You think it will be you, do you?" Voldemort taunted, "The boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?"

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" Harry called, "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

"Accidents!" Mia flinched at the volume of Voldemort's voice, "Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight! You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it?" Harry paused and pointed at the crowed, "I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people-"

"But you did not!"

"I meant to!" Harry shouted, "And that's what did it, I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

"You dare-"

"Yes, I dare," said Harry, lowly, "I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

Mia watched the two of them circle each other. She licked her lips, her eyes wider then they had ever been. Wishing that Harry would just finish Voldemort off, but wanting to hear about these 'secrets' as well.

"Is it love again?" The snake-faced man sneered, "Dumbledore's favourite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like and old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter." Mia's jaw set. "And nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse."

Oh, but they would. Mia could count so many people in this room who would die for Harry. And she could count so many who already _had_.

"So what will stop you dying now when I strike?" Voldemort asked.

"Just one thing," Harry told him, holding up one finger.

"If it is not love that will save you this time, you must believe that you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?"

"I believe both," Harry stated, and Voldemort laughed. A few people in the crowd backed away slightly.

"You think you know more magic than I do?" he said. "Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?"

"Oh, he dreamed of it," said Harry, "But he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak!" screamed Voldemort. "Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!"

Mia shook her head once, in disbelief. Dumbledore had not been weak. And Harry's next words agreed with her exact thoughts.

"No, he was cleverer than you. A better wizard. A better man."

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!" Voldemort yelled.

"You thought you did," said Harry, "But you were wrong."

Along with every single person in the room, Mia sucked in a breath.

"Dumbledore is dead! His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!"

"Yes, Dumbledore is dead," Harry replied, "But you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant."

"What childish dream is this?" Voldemort asked

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," said Harry. "Snape was Dumbledore's!"

Mia's mouth dropped open a couple of millimetres. Snape _had_ to be Voldemort's! He had killed Dumbledore. He had been made Headmaster. He had let countless of students be tortured!

"Dumbledore's from the moment you starting hunting down my mother," Harry carried on, "And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

_Snape can cast a Patronus?_ Mia thought. She could not imagine a Patronus, something that was supposed to be created from nothing by happy memories, coming from the wand of Severus Snape.

"Snape's Patronus was a doe," Harry said. And that was even more surprising then the fact that Snape could even _make_ a Patronus, "the same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized… he asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," sneered Voldemort, "But when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him!"

"Of course he told you that!" Harry said, with the slightest laugh underlying his voice, "But he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" Voldemort yelled, "It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them as I crushed your mother," he jabbed his finger at Harry, "Snape's supposed great love! Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways that you do not understand! Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me!"

Mia had absolutely no idea what the Elder Wand was. In a way, she wasn't even sure she _wanted_ to know. Next to her, Ron was watching with rapt attention. Mia turned back to the circling pair.

"He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand!" Voldemort continued, "But I got there ahead of you, little boy- I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

_Elder Wand… Deathstick… Wand of Destiny… sounds like a powerful wand…_ Mia thought. Although she didn't really see how that was possible. Surely each wand just as powerful as each other? After all, they really were just magical sticks.

She looked down at her own wand, and a small part of her mind argued about how wrong she was.

"Yeah, it did." Harry shrugged, "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you think what you've done… Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle…"

Mia just looked on. Wishing that Harry would just kill Voldemort already. Why did he need to explain everything to a man he was about to kill?

"What is this?" Voldemort asked.

"It's your one last chance."

_He doesn't deserve a chance_, Mia thought

"It's all you've got left," Harry said, "I've seen what you'll be otherwise… Be a man… Try… Try for some remorse…"

"You dare-?" said Voldemort.

"Yes, I dare!" roared Harry, "Because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle!"

There was a moment of silence, in which everyone stood with bated breath.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

Mia wondered how a wand could not 'work properly' for someone. But, as with every other thought she had had that night, she didn't have much time to dwell on it.

"He killed-"

"Aren't you listening?" Harry shouted, "Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die, undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort said, "I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against the last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you?" Harry said, sounding slightly irritated now, "Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours."

_So… does a wand only work if its yours?_ Mia thought.

"Didn't you listen to Ollivander?" Harry went on, "The wand chooses the wizard…"

True, Ollivander _had_ said that to Mia when she asked why they'd had to go through so many wands. Although she'd instantly replied with 'but I'm a witch'.

"The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died," Harry explained, "someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance… The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Nobody missed the look of shock on Voldemort's face. And Mia started to wonder just _what_ this wand was all about.

"But what does it matter?" Voldemort almost whispered. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone… and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy…"

"But you're too late," said Harry, "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took his wand from him."

Harry held up the wand he was holding slightly, and Mia looked at it.

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

The sun rose out of the clouds, and Mia squinted her eyes against the light shining down from the enchanted ceiling.

Voldemort and Harry both raised their wands, and screamed two different spells at exactly the same time.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

There was, possibly the loudest crack Mia had ever heard. In the centre of the circle, gold flames connected the two spells.

Voldemort's wand went flying in the air.

And Voldemort himself collapsed to the ground.

Empty. Defeated. _Dead_ at last.

For a second, it was silent, as everyone let what had just happened sink in. And then there was cheering.

Next to her, Ron shot forward, and on the other side of the Hall, Hermione did the same. Ginny, Neville and Luna were next. And then Mia and the Weasley's followed, jumping into the already crazy mass.

They were squashed and pushed forward as everyone surged forward. Mia reached out and ruffled Harry's hair, before flinging her arms around McGonagall. She pushed her way through the crowd, until she practically jumped into George's arms, wrapping her's tightly around his neck, her feet lifting off of the floor for a second.

When she looked up, she saw two very conflicting emotions on his face. One of immense happiness. And one of immense sadness. She unwrapped her arms and let them fall down to his hands, holding the tips of his fingers, and she smiled sadly at him.

Eventually, the mass in the Hall dispersed, and people went to sit on the tables in the Great Hall, or kneel by the dead they were mourning. Voldemort's body was moved away from sight.

Mia caught sight of Angelina, Alicia and Katie, all alive, and ran over to them, flinging her arms around them.

"We won… we won…" Katie was muttering under her breath, over, and over again, as if she couldn't believe it.

News started to flood into the castle. Kingsley Shacklebolt was called away, after being named the new Minister of Magic. The people who had been Imperiused were falling out of the enchantment. And Muggle-Borns were being released from Azkaban.

"Ooo, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!" Luna Lovegood called out, and Mia looked up to where she was pointing, but only saw a cloud in the ceiling.

She pulled away from the three girls, and looked around, spotting the Weasleys all sitting together at a table on the other side of the room.

She picked up a lump of bread from the table, and bit into it, making her way over to them.

As she walked across the Hall, she took one last bite out of her bread, before stopping, and lobbing the rest of it through a window, into the child-like giant's mouth.

As she approached the table, she saw Hermione and Ron stand up and make their way out of the Hall.

Peeves zoomed through the Hall, cackling and stealing food out of people's hands and singing, "We did it! We bashed them! Wee Potter's the one! And Voldy's gone mouldy! So now let's have fun!"

Sighing, she sat down in between Ginny, who was resting her head on Molly's shoulder, and George, who was looking down at his hands.

"I don't know how to feel," he whispered, so only she could hear. And even then she had to lean in to hear him. She took one of his hands in both her own, but he didn't look up at her.

"I mean, I should be happy!" George went on, "_He's_ gone! Finally!" a tiny little smile graced his features, but then it fell again. "but…"

Mia licked her lips and bent her head, so she could see his face in full. "you don't _have_ to feel happy," she told him.

"You are."

She swallowed. "Part of me is, yes," she answered, "But the other part… he was one of my best friends, George… and I _know_ its a lot worse for you, but… pretty much all of us here feel the same way, kinda." She wasn't sure if her words were helping, or making it worse, so she decided to stop talking right there.

"I don't want to go back over there," he said, "I don't want to see…"

"You don't have to," said Mia. George nodded, and finally looked her in the eye, and let out a shuddering breath.

Mia took her hands away from his and wrapped them around him, pulling him down so his head rested on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on top of his.

"We'll be fine," she whispered, "We all will."

**I've go one more chapter for you. Well, it's an epilogue, really, but y'know**

**Please Review**


	21. Epilogue: One Big Happy Family… Kind Of

**Well, here we are: the last chapter… epilogue… type thing…**

**I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who's read this, especially if you started reading Laughter, and went through reading all of it to here. Seriously, it's, like, the first story I've ever fully finished, so it means a lot :)**

**A special thank you to: The Converse Queen X2 (because I forgot to thank you in the last chapter, sorry!), arashiwolf, quidditchandsonicscrewdrivers, Kurayami Angel, Lobo de Fuego, Selena Marie Weasley and Amanda for reviewing.**

**And an extra big thank you to every one who has reviewed ever chapter since they started reading. I love all you guys. Seriously.**

Epilogue: One Big Happy Family… Kind Of

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Hugo! _Happy_ birthday to you!"

Hugo Weasley stood awkwardly next to his birthday cake as the Weasleys, Potters and one Lupin around him sang, most of them out of tune. Ron and Hermione, his parents, were standing behind him, and it was easy to tell that Ron was trying hard not to laugh at his son's awkward expression. His sister, Rose, was peering around her mother's waist.

Everyone applauded and Molly picked up a knife. "Alright now," she said, "Go back to your business so we can cut the cake, and then everyone can have some."

The crowd dispersed and people went back to what they were doing before Molly had called them all to the table.

Mia Weasley slumped down in a chair at the table, rolling up the sleeves of her Healer's robes. She hadn't had a chance to change out of them, seeing as she had only finished her shift at St Mungo's ten minutes earlier.

Teddy Lupin dropped into the chair next to her, a Hufflepuff tie wrapped around his vibrant blue hair, and a new Charms book in his hands. "Your kids are attacking each other again," he told her.

"What?" Mia asked. Teddy jerked his hand behind him, and Mia turned around in her chair. True enough, two of her children were engaged in a rather messy fight. Though where the other one was, she wasn't quite sure.

Groaning, she stood up and trudged over to them, passing different people. Ginny was speaking to Audrey, Percy's rather extravagant, almost exotic wife (not the kind of person you'd expect Percy to marry, really). Lily, Albus, Hugo and Rose were chasing each other around the garden, while James and Dominique sat plotting just metres away. And then-

"I told you not to throw them at me!"

"I told you to get out of their path!"

"Don't shoot sparks at me!"

"Don't hit me!"

"Hey!"

"Ow!"

"_Mummy's coming_!" Ah, there was the third child: hiding behind a bush and keeping look out. Or was she waiting for Gnomes?

"What are you _doing_?" Mia yelled at two of them, pulling them apart and up off of the ground.

"He threw another Fanged Frisbee at me!" Cathy shouted, pointing her finger at her brother.

"No I didn't! You were in its way!" Fred bellowed.

"You sho-"

"_Shut up_!" Mia screamed at them. Behind her, they heard a thump and a small grunt. Turning around quickly she saw her youngest, Megan, trying to catch a Gnome with her small hands.

Huffing and licking her lips, Mia turned back to the other two.

"Freddie, don't throw Fanged Frisbees when _anybody_ is close enough to get hit by them!" Mia told him, "God knows how many bite marks we've all gotten in the last week alone! I don't know _why_ your dad keeps buying them for you!"

_Because he's __George__, _her mind told her.

"Cathy," she pointed at the middle child, "Don't hit him!"

"But he shot sparks at me!"

"Oh my god," Mia moaned, running a hand over her face, "Right, Freddie, give me your wand."

"What?"

"Give me your wand!" Mia repeated, "That's the fifteenth time you've shot sparks at her since you've had it! And you've only had it for a week!"

Reluctantly, Fred handed over his week-old wand. "You can have it back when we get back to the flat," Mia told him, stuffing it into her pocket. "God help us when you learn how to Stun… Now, Cathy, go somewhere-"

"Ow!" whipping around, she saw Megan clutching a bleeding finger, and a Gnome running away, cackling. Sighing and pulling out her own wand, Mia crouched down and wiped Megan's finger on the edge of her robes, then tapped the cut quickly with her wand. It Healed instantly.

Turning back to Fred and Cathy, she was about to carry on, when Molly called, "Anyone who wants cake, come and get it!"

Completely forgetting their argument, Fred and Cathy ran off, laughing together. And, completely forgetting about the Gomes, Megan followed, tripping over her own feet as she went.

Her three children: she was never quite sure whether they were complete failures, or amazing successes.

Fred was the oldest child. At eleven years old, he had just received his Hogwarts letter, and had started happily showing off his new wand to his sisters. He was short and stocky, with the trade-mark Weasley red hair, which was falling into his eyes. There were so many freckles covering his face, it was almost hard to tell what skin colour he had. He had a love of anything with sharp teeth, and, because both Mia and George refused to let him have a pet (although George_ had_ been considering at one point, before Mia told him it would probably escape the flat, terrorise all the customers down in the shop and then run away), so instead, he had a great collection of Fanged Frisbees in his corner of the bedroom, which George kept buying for him.

Cathy was the middle child, and just a year younger then Fred. With mousy brown hair (which she had recently attempted to cut herself, resulting in choppy, broken locks that stopped between her chin and shoulders) and too-wide, light brown eyes; she was definitely more Homing than Weasley. All though she did share the same tall, lanky frame as her uncles Ron, Percy and Bill, and would probably be taller then both her parents when she stopped growing. Loud, brash, and immensely protective over her inanimate possessions, though cared little for anything that was actually alive.

And lastly there was Megan and three years younger then Cathy. She was a tiny little thing, with stick-like limbs and freckles running up her arms and legs, but seemed to steer clear of her face, and sharing the same reddish-brown hair as her cousins, Rose and Hugo. She was quiet, tidy and had a great love for the Quibbler, and anything to do with it. She kept nearly every issue she'd read, which were placed neatly under her bed, and Mia planned to introduce her Luna Lovegood someday.

Traipsing back to the table, she ran a hand through her hair and stopped next to George.

"You _need_ to stop buying Freddie those Frisbees," she told him.

"What?" George exclaimed, "But he loves them!"

"Exactly."

George looked at her confused, until the exact same boy they were talking about came pushing through the crowd towards them, with way to much cake already in (and around) his mouth.

"Tell me, Freddie," George said, kneeling down in front of him, and smiling softly "Do you think we should stop buying Fanged Frisbees?"

"No!"

"Well, there you go, then," George said, looking up at Mia. She just huffed and crossed her arms.

George ruffled Fred's hair, and then looked at him for a second longer than he needed to, which only Mia really noticed. Freddie was the spitting image of his father. But that also meant he was the spitting image of someone else…

Fred ran off and George stood up, wrapping an arm around Mia's waist, and Hermione came up to them, holding two plates of cake.

"Here," she said handing them the plates, along with a fork each, "Molly said to get at least one piece out to everyone before either Louis eats it all, or James poisons it."  
"Good idea," Mia agreed sticking a forkful of cake in her mouth. She sighed and let her head fall back against George for a second. Until-

"Mia, George," Hermione said.

"Yeah?"

"Your kids are attacking each other. Again."

**Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter/epilogue, and I hope you enjoyed the series over all.**

**Please Review! :)**


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